The Truth About Rahne
by Orange Lantern Tsume
Summary: Slight AU for her parents* What if Rahne had a dark secret? Rahne's not like other girls. People hate her. Her family sends her to Bayville, for Xavier's help. She learns more about herself, as do the other X-Men. R&R! COMPLETE!!
1. Cursed

The Truth About Rahne  
  
By Blackheart Syaoran  
  
AUTHOR: Please also read my "Altered Fates" fic! It's really good! Also, I am very busy right now, so do not rush me!  
  
Note: This is a slight AU from what I know about Rahne.  
  
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Chapter 1: Cursed  
  
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In Scotland, Dr. Moira MacTaggert was talking with two parents about their daughter. The couple was fully aware of the girl's heritage, especially with her having been born last night, and thanks to Moira's efforts as playing the role of midwife. The father was happy, and the mother even more so, with her past kept in mind.  
  
"Ye wanted t'talk with us, Dr. MacTaggert," the father said. "Hopefully, it's t'help us with these townspeople."  
  
"Aye, it is," Moira assured the man. "I'll personally make sure nothing happens t'Rahne. The girl's going t'grow up all confused, wondering why folks hate her."  
  
"I pray otherwise, Doctor," the mother said stiffly. "Rahne may not be like 'other girls,' but she is MUY girl."  
  
Moira held up her hands. "I didnae say otherwise, Madam. I was---"  
  
"Enough, both of ye," the father said. "Rahne will'na grow up to be a monster, A hope, but she will have questions, that A dinnae doubt."  
  
"Aye, and her questions will be answered by me," the mother said. "She gets her 'disliked' side from me, and she'll do well to learn to use it to her advantage."  
  
It occurred to Moira that there was a different solution, one that gave Rahne freedom from potential life-threatening danger. The locals were very religious, and abhorred anything to do with the Devil, especially "monsters" like Rahne and her mother.  
  
"Perhaps," she said to the parents, "we can send Rahne to a special school. It's run by an old friend of mine, and he'd be glad t'receive Rahne and teach her about herself, once she's old enough."  
  
"Once she's old enough?" the mother scoffed. "The lass has just been born, woman! She has years on her yet!"  
  
"Aye, that she does, but it doesna mean she'll show her other half at all. Little girls are afraid of people who will hurt them, and the Reverend is one of those people."  
  
"He wouldna!" the father growled.  
  
Moira nodded. "Aye, he would, and in the name of God, no less! That black Bible tyrant thinks so narrow-mindedly it makes me ashamed to be Scottish myself."  
  
"But what do we do, Moira MacTaggert?" the mother asked. "Send Rahne away from home? Is that the only answer you have?"  
  
"For now, aye, it is. But I didna say she would leave so soon. She can spend some years here and learn the truth from ye, but I hope you'll let her leave and go to my associate's school for people who would normally be outcasts."  
  
"What do ye mean, Dr. MacTaggert?" the father asked, confused.  
  
"I'll tell you when the time is right," she said as she left.  
  
The father looked to the mother. "D'ye think she was telling the truth?"  
  
"A hope so, for Rahne's sake. That poor lass is all we have."  
  
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In the church's courtyard, Reverend Craig was raising a small army of villagers bent on removing the "thorn in their side."  
  
"Far too long have we suffered such evils, brothers and sisters!" he cried loudly. "These wolves have taken numbers from our flock of blessed sheep since they began, and the wolf openly despises the Lord's rightful way!"  
  
This earned a roar of support for Craig, and he kept going.  
  
"We must do something about these wolves, my brothers and sisters! Our shepherd, the Lord, tells us to provide for ourselves from time to time, and we must also defend ourselves from the evils of Satan!"  
  
More cries of support.  
  
"The Sinclairs must be purged from the flock, for they are the Wolves of Satan!" roared Craig, earning the loudest shouts of support yet.  
  
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Rahne grew up through all of this, saved from terrible times by both her parents and Moira. The doctor, though disliked for "interfering in God's work" by the locals, helped the child out as she grew up. Craig did not stop his campaign to eliminate the Sinclair family from Scotland, or the Earth for that matter. He would shun the family from church whenever they attempted to enter, and thus leaving Rahne un-baptized.  
  
Little Rahne was mocked and picked on and bullied by the other children, who considered her more than merely pathetic. She tried to ask the adults for help, especially since her father had told her to tell her teachers if other kids hurt her, but the older people would only scorn her for "telling lies and causing trouble." She virtually failed school, and only Moira and Mr. Sinclair kept her grades from hitting rock bottom, although they did stay at a record low for a record amount of time.  
  
Mrs. Sinclair would soothe her daughter's pains at night, softly singing lullabies and telling stories where the wolf was the hero, not the villain. Rahne liked these stories, laughing when the wolf did something silly. Mrs. Sinclair also told Rahne about some of her heritage. She told Rahne that Mrs. Sinclair was from the Aran Islands, and that a lot of people were scared of those who came from there.  
  
When Rahne asked her mother why this was so, the older woman replied, "Because people hate an' fear what they donna understand."  
  
Rahne continued to grow up, taking the abuse from the other people in the Scottish town and putting up with it, since that was all she could do. As she grew up, though, her patience began wearing thin. When she reached her teens, her tolerance of her peers ended.  
  
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"And what are ye doin' here, Sinclair?" the girl asked. With her were five others, three boys and two girls, perfect pairings in number. Rahne was in the general goods store for some supplies her mother wanted, and was forced to deal with the bigotry of the locals.  
  
"Here," Rahne said curtly, handing the money to the clerk. The only reason she was not shunned her, as she was practically everywhere else, was because of the fact that the store needed money to keep itself open, and people didn't give away money for nothing. A fundraiser only lasted so long, before people wanted something in return for their dollars. Rahne and her family talked to the owner of the general goods store, telling him this and helping him see the logic. He had agreed to let them shop only because they had money, nothing more than that.  
  
"A asked you a question, girl!" the girl snapped. "A dinnae like to be ignored!"  
  
Rahne sniffed, holding herself imperiously as she began to leave the store.  
  
"Oi, no one ignores me, mutt!" the girl snarled, lashing out and catching Rahne with a in the gut with a kick. Rahne tripped herself and landed on her palms, the feeling from doing so far less than pleasant. Her bag had spilled out onto the floor, practically ruining it and making a difficult task of getting it gathered up for travel to Rahne's home.  
  
Growling, Rahne got up, feeling her claws extend and her fangs sharpen. The bullies began backing away.  
  
"A think you made her mad!" one boy gulped.  
  
"So?" the girl snorted, but with less courage than she was feeling. "She's only a freak, what can she do to me?"  
  
Rahne was fed up with everyone treating her as though she were subhuman. Her hands shot out and tore open the girl's shirt, exposing her chest for all to see. Being the slut she was, the girl's breasts were bare.  
  
Clutching herself to cover her cans, the girl screamed and ran out of the store. Rahne was about to follow when she heard a sharp click behind her. Turning, she was mildly surprised to see the clerk aiming a cocked revolver at her.  
  
"Get yer stuff an' get out," he said coldly.  
  
Rahne glared at the man before she cleaned up the mess as best she could and left for her house.  
  
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"That's a lie an' ye know it, Craig!" Moira snapped at the Reverend.  
  
"It's the truth, woman!" he retorted. "The Sinclair girl has the Devil in her! A bunch of the children saw it themselves when she attacked some of them! Look her!" He held out the torn shirt of the girl from the store.  
  
"That fool girl attacked Rahne and you know it!" Moira snarled. "Rahne was only defendin' herself!"  
  
"Why would a monster defend itself?" Craig demanded. "She has the Devil with her, and he provides all the defense she needs of him!"  
  
"I am warning you, Craig!" Moira bellowed. "Off this property at once! These people have as much right to life as any of us, and you'll do good to leave them in peace!"  
  
"The man can stay, MacTaggert, but the woman and her spawn have got t'go!" Craig shot back. "He's a Scot, but those two are the offspring of Satan!"  
  
"This is yer last chance, Craig!" Moira roared. "Off this land, now!"  
  
It took a moment or so more, but the mob of angry townspeople finally left. Moira sighed heavily as she entered the Sinclair home, collapsing onto a couch. Rahne entered the room, eyeing Moira, and approached the doctor.  
  
"Dr. MacTaggert?" she asked tentatively. "Is everything all right?"  
  
"No, child," Moira scowled. "Not a blasted thing is right with these dunderheads."  
  
Rahne hesitated before saying, "What can A do? I know A'm the cause of those people's troubles."  
  
Moira was shocked at this. She stood up, walked over to Rahne, and clasped her firmly on the shoulders, looking her right in the eye. "Ye listen t'me, lass: Those people's problems are all caused by bigotry. They don't understand a blooming thing about ye or yer ma. Ye never were a bad kid, and A knew that when A first saw ye all those years ago."  
  
Rahne blinked, looking a little confused, so Moira explained.  
  
"A was the one who helped deliver ye in this very room, child. The local folks wouldna let yer ma in because she was cursed t'them, so A had to lend a hand. Ye were a sweet little babe back then, and ye're just as fine now."  
  
Rahne blushed. "Thanks, Dr. MacTaggert."  
  
"Ye're welcome, Rahne."  
  
"My Ma and Da told me ye said that there was a school for people like me," Rahne said to Moira. "Is there really?"  
  
Moira nodded. "Aye, lass, there is. But it's way over there, in America. A dinnae know if ye can stand being away from yer folks for so long, because A don't know when you'd come back."  
  
Rahne squared her shoulders. "A can go, Dr. MacTaggert. A'm not afraid or anything, except for me parents."  
  
"They'll be fine, Rahne, A promise. In the morning, we'll talk about sending ye to the school."  
  
They said their goodnights and went to bed, Rahne silently praying things would be better in the Land of the Free than here in Scotland.  
  
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AUTHOR: This better get good reviews!  
  
READ N REVIEW! 


	2. Welcome To Bayville

The Truth About Rahne  
  
By Blackheart Syaoran  
  
AUTHOR: Thanks for the reviews!  
  
TO Skiltch: Fool, I forgot no Secret!  
  
TO ShInImEgAmI: Sorry, but that pairing is not what I intend.  
  
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Chapter 2: Welcome To Bayville  
  
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Moira talked with Rahne's parents about sending the girl to America the next morning. They were unsure at first, but after considering everything, they agreed. The good doctor paid for the flight herself, even though Rahne didn't really approve of it, feeling as though she were leeching from the woman. Moira had chuckled and told her to ignore the costs of getting away from "this hellhole."  
  
Resigning herself to her fate, Rahne packed her bags and got onto the flight, feeling more than a little nervous. The townspeople were one thing, but total strangers were another story entirely. She sat in her seat during the entire flight, not speaking to anyone and keeping generally to herself. She fell asleep at one point, and woke up shortly before they landed at Bayville International.  
  
Getting her luggage, Rahne left the jet and entered a whole new world. She looked around the bustling crowd for the people Moira had told her to keep an eye open for, and spotted a woman with long white hair, who held up a sign with Rahne's name on it.  
  
"You're Rahne Sinclair?" the woman asked.  
  
"Aye," Rahne said, feeling even more nervous, as though replying wrong would get her skinned alive. She shuddered at the thought.  
  
The woman nodded. "I am Ororo Munroe. Let's get your things in the car so that we can be on our way."  
  
Rahne nodded, slightly surprised that there was a WOMAN picking her up. Rahne had been raised under traditional gender roles, and was astonished to see a difference. She had honestly expected a man to escort her to the Institute, as Moira had called it.  
  
But there was no man, and Ororo drove the car herself. Rahne sat in the passenger seat, her mouth sealed tightly shut.  
  
"It's a while before we reach the Institute in this traffic, child," Ororo said. "Time goes faster if your mind is on something else."  
  
Rahne blinked, surprised at the statement. She forced her throat to unclench itself. After making her mouth move a few times without any words, she started talking.  
  
"I donna know what t'talk about, Miss Munroe," she said as formally as possible.  
  
"You can talk about anything you want, Rahne, if you don't mind me calling you that," Ororo replied. Rahne noticed that Ororo also had an accent, but didn't know from where.  
  
"Well, A can't help but be nervous," Rahne said after taking a deep breath.  
  
"Being nervous is perfectly all right, Rahne, and you didn't answer my question."  
  
Rahne felt her almost-terror grow greater. Question, she thought, what question? She swallowed a few times, her chest heaving and her skin prickling, before she managed to rasp out an answer.  
  
"A dinnae know ye asked one, Miss Munroe," she said in the best formal tone she could manage at the moment.  
  
To her surprise, Ororo appeared concerned. For a moment, Rahne swore the woman looked appalled at the response the Scot gave her, but this was quickly tossed away with Ororo's next words.  
  
"You don't have to be so formal, and I only asked if I could call you by your first name," Ororo told the girl calmly. "Why are you so afraid, child?"  
  
But Rahne didn't answer, instead shrinking down in her seat, curling herself into a ball, and staring at empty space. Ororo waved a hand in front of the girl's eyes, but got no response.  
  
Decided it was best if she on, and with Charles' help, Ororo continued toward the Institute.  
  
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Xavier was waiting in the foyer when Ororo arrived with Rahne. It took a moment for her to wake the girl up, as Rahne had fallen asleep after curling up, and then the two got the luggage and entered the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning.  
  
"Welcome, Miss Sinclair," Xavier greeted politely. "I have been expecting you. Dr. MacTaggert spoke very highly of you when she informed me of you becoming a part of this Institute."  
  
Rahne nodded dully, not really looking at him, but instead staring at the floor. Xavier decided it was best if her overlooked this and let the girl grow accustomed to Bayville at her own pace.  
  
"Ororo, would you be kind enough to show Rahne to her room?" he asked the African woman. "I have to oversee a training session Logan is having with some of the other students."  
  
"Of course, Charles," Ororo said, leading the Scottish girl up the stairs and down the hall.  
  
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"This is where you'll be sleeping during your time with us, Rahne," Ororo said as she showed the girl into the room. Rahne looked around quietly, saying nothing. Ororo wondered if the girl were mute, but quickly dismissed the thought; Rahne had already spoken to her earlier. What had her so spooked, then?  
  
"I'll let you unpack your things, then," Ororo said to the girl before leaving.  
  
When she had gone, Rahne exhaled heavily and collapsed onto her bed. Bayville was so different from her small hometown in Scotland that it had been overwhelming her. Women did things independently and without help from men here! How odd, she thought. It made her head spin just thinking about it.  
  
Rahne glanced around the room. Half of it was already decorated, so she guessed that she was sharing it with another girl.  
  
At least, she HOPED it was with another girl. Xavier had asked Ororo to escort Rahne to her room, and that fit with the way Rahne had been raised. Thinking about that moment made her breathe a little easier, feeling a connection to home, as awful as that place could be.  
  
As she began to relax, Rahne picked up a scent in the air with her acute senses: Cooking. Her stomach grumbled, and she reluctantly agreed to get a bite before hiding from everyone for the rest of the day by staying in her new room.  
  
Standing up, Rahne sniffed, following the odor as it led her down a couple of different hallways and down a set of stairs. She closed her eyes, the better to concentrate, and her mouth began watering.  
  
Abruptly, she bumped into someone, knocking them over and earning a cry of surprise from the person.  
  
"Sorry!" Rahne apologized as she opened her eyes and looked down.  
  
There were three boys sitting on the floor, all dressed exactly the same. This caused Rahne to blink a number of times, as she thought that parents would want to tell their triplets apart.  
  
"Who are ye?" she asked.  
  
"I'm Jamie Madrox," the triplets said. "And it's okay about you bumping into us; you looked like you were in a trance or something."  
  
Rahne nodded. "I was following a smell."  
  
"But I don't smell anything," the triplets said as two disappeared, leaving just one.  
  
Rahne stared in surprise.  
  
"What?" the remaining boy asked. "Those were just duplicates of myself."  
  
"Oh," Rahne said softly, still barely understanding him. Duplicates?  
  
After he had moved on, she continued after the smell, finding the Institute's kitchen, with another girl inside, cooking and dressed for the role. She even wore a white apron, which almost made Rahne snicker.  
  
"What are ye cooking?" Rahne asked, making the girl squeak and spin to see who had startled her.  
  
"Oh, I was just making some muffins," the girl said. "Want to see if they taste all right?"  
  
Rahne agreed, and inwardly felt another connection. A female baking the meals in the kitchen, while the men did all the work. This made Rahne feel a little more comfortable.  
  
"Here you go," the girl smiled. "Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Kitty Pryde."  
  
"Rahne Sinclair," the other said before taking a big bite out of the muffin and beginning to munch.  
  
"You have a nice accent," Kitty complimented. "Are you Irish or something?"  
  
When she got done chewing, Rahne answered, "I'm Scottish, but part-Irish through me mum."  
  
"That's nice, I guess," Kitty said as she watched Rahne wolf down another muffin. Most people avoided her cooking like the plague, but Rahne actually seemed to like it. Although the way she ate was a little odd: she took enormous bites from her food, like an animal chowing down. It made Kitty shiver when she thought of Rahne sinking her teeth into a person.  
  
When Rahne finished her fifth muffin, she licked her chops and thanked Kitty for the great meal. Heading back up to her room, Rahne started when she found another girl there, one with silky plaits of dark hair.  
  
"Oh, hi!" the girl said brightly. "I'm Amara. You must be Rahne. Ororo told me we'd be sharing a room. Did you just get here today?"  
  
Rahne nodded mutely.  
  
"So?" Amara asked. "What do you think of Bayville?"  
  
"It's all right," Rahne said. "Did that Kitty lass give ye any muffins? A think they're okay."  
  
Amara's jaw dropped. "You actually ate Kitty's cooking?"  
  
Rahne stared at her roommate. "Is there something wrong with that?"  
  
"Duh!" Amara said. "The last time anyone tasted her muffins, they practically died!"  
  
Rahne's complexion paled to the point where she looked carved from marble. "And A ate five of them."  
  
"Wow," Amara said, looking amazed. "You must have some kind of superhuman stomach or something to eat five Killer Kitty Muffins."  
  
Time seemed to have flown by, and the two were asked to turn in for the night. Rahne changed into some pajamas and slid under the icy covers, feeling more than a little uneasy spending the night here. She made sure she was facing the window, and kept staring at the moon with a longing look, feeling like the moon wouldn't let her children suffer like Rahne was now.  
  
Eventually, the girl drifted off...  
  
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AUTHOR: Hope you people enjoy this, b/c things will start to pick up soon!  
  
READ N REVIEW! 


	3. At First Sight

The Truth About Rahne  
  
By Blackheart Syaoran  
  
AUTHOR: Thanks for the reviews and sorry for the wait!  
  
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Chapter 3: At First Sight  
  
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Rahne woke with a start the next morning, realizing she was in her wolf form. The Scot was surprised by this, but didn't bother thinking up an explanation as she morphed back into her human form, slipping out of bed to get dressed for the day.  
  
Ororo had mentioned on the way to the Institute that Rahne would have the weekend to settle in before school began, because she arrived on a Friday. This had all happened when the girl was acting comatose, as if there was no outside world. Rahne was inwardly glad for this, because the change of location made her very nervous. It was so abrupt, what with her having made sudden plans to move to a new home away from home without knowing a thing about it until she arrived.  
  
Rahne tucked her green shirt into her cream-colored pants and went to the dresser to see if her hair was all right. The odd hairstyle was still there, so she decided to leave the thing untouched and left the room. Amara, she had noticed when she awoke, was already out.  
  
"I didn't do anything, Rogue, I swear!" a boy's voice yelled from one room, and Rahne found herself following it. She discovered a boy perhaps her age being chased around the room by a spooky-looking girl with auburn hair, which had two streaks of white in the front, framing her face. The girl also dressed like a modern day vampire would, Rahne thought.  
  
"Bobby, I will KILL you!" the alleged Rogue snarled as she leapt over the couch to get at the boy, who Rahne just now looked at for the first time. He had his light brown hair combed smoothly, almost elegantly, but had that boyish face that displayed nothing save for mischief and humor. He was thin, slender, nowhere near portly. Rahne caught herself staring.  
  
"Help me, please!" Bobby pleaded, running behind Rahne and using her as a human shield.  
  
Rogue stalked toward the two, hunched over with her fists balled, ready to send Bobby into a world of hurt. Rahne held up her hands to try and stop the Goth.  
  
"Now, now, lass, A think ye should just take a deep breath instead of causing all this ruckus," Rahne said, doing her best to sound confident. Still, she felt a spike of fear as she looked at Rogue.  
  
The Goth wasn't impressed. "Move, before I move ya!"  
  
"Sorry, but A cannae do that."  
  
Rogue, to Rahne's great surprise, simply removed one of her gloves. Before the Scot girl could ask what she was going to do, Rogue put the hand onto Rahne's cheek and began draining her. Inside, Rahne felt like her entire mind was being ripped open and taken away from her. Eyes rolling up into her head, the foreign girl crumpled to the floor.  
  
Bobby gave a girlish scream and prepared to run, but something went wrong. Rogue had just started for him when her body twisted on the inside, making her double over.  
  
"Rogue?" Bobby asked, becoming immediately worried about his fellow mutant.  
  
Rogue didn't answer, instead going into convulsions as fur began sprouting all over her body. Bobby cried out in total surprise; he hadn't known what power Rahne possessed.  
  
"Bobby, Rogue, what's happening here?" Ororo demanded as she entered the room, having been attracted by the boy's yells. She spotted the unconscious Rahne and instantly feared for the worst.  
  
"It's Rogue, Miss Munroe," Bobby said. "She touched the girl here and just started changing."  
  
Ororo didn't bother wasting time with explanations. Xavier had told her what powers Rahne had, along with Logan, but the others knew nothing except what they discovered on their own. Rushing to Rahne's side, Ororo checked for a pulse before turning her attention to the Goth mutant.  
  
"Rogue, you need to calm yourself!" she instructed the girl. "Gain control over Rahne's transformational powers!"  
  
"It's...not that simple, Storm," Rogue wheezed out between grunts of pain. "It doesn't want to be controlled."  
  
"Then I'm afraid I must take a hand in this," Xavier said as he entered the scene. "I'll try to make it as painless as I can."  
  
Ororo knew what he was talking about. He was going to force Rogue into a sleep using his telepathy, which would hopefully help fix the situation. Putting his fingers to his temple, he reached out with his mind and began taking charge of Rogue's chaotic psyche.  
  
After a moment, the young mutant collapsed onto the floor, the fur slowly retracting into her body. Ororo, Bobby, and Xavier watched.  
  
"Professor, what happened here?" It was Scott, who had been attracted by the commotion.  
  
"Nothing to be concerned of, Scott," Xavier assured the boy. "Go about your business while we clean up after Mr. Drake's prank."  
  
Nodding coldly, mostly to Bobby, Scott did as told. When he had gone, Xavier turned to Ororo.  
  
"Ororo, could I bother you to escort our young friend here to Logan?" Xavier asked crisply.  
  
Bobby inwardly flinched. Logan, every mutant at the Institute knew, was a very scary person, even when he wasn't angry.  
  
"Of course," Ororo said lightly. She led Bobby from the room, on her task. A moment after she had gone, Kurt teleported into the room, having been summoned there by the Professor's telepathic call.  
  
"Kurt, if you are up to handling it, can teleport these two to the infirmary."  
  
"Let me catch my breath, Professor," the German mutant replied. When he did so, he stooped down and put a hand on a shoulder of each girl, and then teleported.  
  
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When Rahne woke up, she had no idea where she was. It looked like some sort of lab or something, but she had no idea what.  
  
"Ah, you're awake," a warm voice said, and Rahne gasped slightly when she saw Hank in his blue fur.  
  
"No need to be frightened, my friend. You were merely drained of your powers by Rogue here. That's her ability, although she also sucks your life out at the same time."  
  
Rahne turned her head to look at the girl in the bed to her right. Rogue seemed so innocent it could fool anyone. She turned back to Hank.  
  
"Where am A?" she asked timidly.  
  
"The infirmary of the Xavier Institute," he replied. "I found you weren't in such bad shape after being touched by our resident copycat there, so you are free to go once you feel like it."  
  
Rahne nodded, and left shortly thereafter. When she had gone, Hank examined some very odd figures on a sheet of paper. He had a fascination for genetics, and Rogue's had been seriously tampered with when she had touched Rahne.  
  
But it wasn't the Scot's x-factor that had temporarily altered Rogue's cellular structure.  
  
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Rahne sat on her bed, staring at the only picture she had of her family, all three together. They all looked so happy back then it brought tears to the girl's eyes just thinking about it, and one plopped onto the glass as she stared down at the image. Rahne had her parents hugging her from behind, in the center of them both, all of them laughing and smiling. She felt so homesick at the moment.  
  
But her mind was steadily changing subjects, from one home to the next. Even though the Institute wasn't really her home, more like a boarding school, she was feeling more and more comfortable here every time she made a connection to her background.  
  
And that Bobby boy...  
  
Rahne's heart skipped when she merely thought of him. He was cute, and apparently had a sense of humor, although it obviously infuriated others. Rahne wondered what his family roots were, but that only arose from her Scottish/Irish pride. She wasn't ashamed of who she was, never had been, thanks to the lessons her mother had given her.  
  
Still, Rahne wanted to know more about Bobby already.  
  
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The next morning, Rahne caught Bobby drinking from the milk jug. He hadn't thought himself watched, and had boldly gone ahead with his plan, with Rahne staring wide-eyed at him as he chugged the whole thing in a few minutes' time.  
  
After he had finished, though, things got interesting.  
  
Rahne approached him, silent as a cat. Bobby let out a loud belch before placing the empty jug back in the fridge. After he did, Rahne spoke.  
  
"Mornin' to ye," she said politely, causing him to jump and whirl about.  
  
"Oh, hi," he said after he calmed down. "You scared the crud outta me there."  
  
"Well, A'm sorry, but A couldna help wondering if'n ye wanted t'talk t'me."  
  
Bobby shrugged. "I don't see why not. After all, I kind of owe you for saving me from Rogue's wrath."  
  
Rahne blushed a little. "A wanted t'ask ye if'n ye had a lass of yer own."  
  
Bobby was puzzled. "A what?"  
  
"Ye know, a lad an' a lass," Rahne tried explaining.  
  
"Oh, you mean a girlfriend!" Bobby said, understanding it. "Uh, no, actually, I don't have a girlfriend. Why?"  
  
"Well, A thought ye looked a wee bit handsome yesterday, when Rogue was chasing ye around the room. A guess A like ye."  
  
Bobby stared at her. "You're kidding, right?"  
  
Rahne shook her head. "Nay, A'm na kidding. A really do like ye."  
  
"But you're, like, a foot taller than me!" Bobby pointed out. "And then there's the fact that I can only understand so many of the words you say!"  
  
Rahne didn't know why he was being so nasty to her. After all, she was only trying to connect to the boy. But here he was, with his acid words that were burning Rahne's fragile heart. She felt her anger kindle and grow as he spoke. Rahne reacted automatically, her hand flashing out and slapping Bobby clean across the face. He shut up, stunned by her strike, and she began speaking.  
  
"Now ye listen, lad," she bit out, keeping the tears back as much as she possibly could. "A didnae do nothing t'earn yer foul attitude. A have a tough enough time as it is with getting used t'this Institute of yers, an' ye go an' hurt me heart when A open up! A donnae know how ye have any friends with such a lousy personality!"  
  
With that, Rahne spun on her heel and stormed off, not seeing the small group of new mutants that had been watching the altercation. She slammed her door when she got to her room, flopping onto her bed and firmly planting her face into her pillow, the object becoming moist from her tears.  
  
As the human in Rahne died down, the wolf in her grew...  
  
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AUTHOR: Hope that was some good!  
  
READ N REVIEW! 


	4. Instincts

The Truth About Rahne  
  
By Blackheart Syaoran  
  
AUTHOR: Thanks for reviewing and sorry for the wait!  
  
TO Dragon of the Elements: Read and find out, although it might take a while.  
  
TO Rogue: I totally agree with your review.  
  
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Chapter 4: Instincts  
  
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Rahne woke up early the next morning, stiff and with her eyes red from crying herself to sleep. She had opened up her heart, and it had been cut by someone she had hoped to be good friends with, if not more than friends. She had apparently felt so terrible after her "talk" with Bobby that she had slept through the entire day and into the next morning.  
  
Shaking her head, Rahne got up and dressed, trying to cheer herself up with the few happy memories that she did have. It barely worked, and only served to make her chest burn as she vividly remembered the previous morning. Scowling, Rahne buckled her pants and left her room, having paid no attention to the sleeping Amara.  
  
Heading downstairs, Rahne took an alternate route to the kitchen, hoping to run into Kitty there. The girl's muffins were good, and the Scot prayed that they would cheer her. Her mouth began watering, and she did what she could not to drool. Sniffing the air as she neared the kitchen, she determined that Kitty was indeed there.  
  
"Mornin' to ye," she said to Kitty.  
  
"Oh, like, hi, Rahne!" Kitty smiled. "I was going to try and make more muffins. Want some? You really seemed to like them last time."  
  
Rahne smiled. "A guess so."  
  
"Oh, do you think I should add blueberries or should I not risk it?" Kitty asked before beginning.  
  
"Maybe a few, but ye better not risk the whole batch," Rahne suggested, and Kitty nodded.  
  
It took a while, but the muffins were made, and Rahne the Brave wolfed down half of the batch, saving two for Kitty and the other two for anyone who dared to try the girl's cooking. After thanking Kitty, Rahne started talking to her.  
  
"Kitty, A donna mean t'sound rude, but do ye have a boyfriend?"  
  
"Yeah, actually, I do. Lance Alvers isn't the greatest guy, if you know what I mean, but he tries and he is kinda cute and sweet, so I like him."  
  
"Do ye have anybody else ye like?"  
  
"Not really, no."  
  
"Did a lad ever try t'hit on ye?"  
  
"Bobby tried when he first showed up, but then he met Lance."  
  
Rahne's attitude visibly darkened. "What did ye do t'him?"  
  
"Oh, Bobby? I just told him not to bother getting himself killed by dating me, although everyone else would approve."  
  
Rahne was confused by this. "Approve?"  
  
Kitty nodded. "Yeah. Everyone here thinks I'm some kind of traitor or victim because I'm dating a member of the Brotherhood of Mutants, but they just don't understand."  
  
Rahne thought about this. Were there other Brotherhood boys for her to choose from, so that she didn't have to be disappointed and hurt by any more X-Men? That would be perfect, since it would show Bobby just what a great person he had lost when he turned Rahne down.  
  
"What's he like?"  
  
"Lance is really great, but he has his flaws, like everyone. He tends to be territorial with me, and can be aggressive if anyone makes a move toward me."  
  
'He's like me, then,' Rahne thought, staring down at her own hand. 'He acts just like a wolf does when he's got his mate, all territorial and that. A hope there's more like him.'  
  
"Rahne?" Kitty asked, startling the other girl.  
  
"Sorry," Rahne apologized.  
  
"You were just sitting there, staring at your hand for a couple of minutes, and it was spooking me," Kitty said as she stepped closer to Rahne. "Is there something you need to get off your chest?"  
  
Rahne shook her head quickly, several times, a sign that she did have something to get off her chest but didn't want to.  
  
"Nay, A feel just fine, lass. Ye must be imagining things." She tried to smile, but it came out weakly.  
  
Kitty let her suspicions slide, even though something told her she needed to act on them.  
  
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Ororo was searching through the Institute later that day, looking for Rahne. The girl had disappeared before a training session, and Logan was too busy beating the crap out of the newbies to look for the Scot. Xavier was concerned, but didn't exactly have the means to search for her other than using his telepathy. He had determined that she was nearby, but could get nothing more than that. Ororo had taken to searching for the new girl then, accompanied by Amara.  
  
"Where do you think she could have gone, Miss Munroe?" the islander asked.  
  
"I have little idea, child. She has been distant except to Kitty ever since Bobby insulted her, and on the ride here after she landed, she went into a sort of trance."  
  
"Do you think something's wrong with her?" Amara asked, sounding worried. "You think that she might have mental issues?"  
  
"I honestly do not know. We all have our problems, but Rahne has her own personal experiences, and the Professor hinted that she has suffered much before coming here."  
  
"If we find her, we need to all try and cheer her up. She'd like that."  
  
"I hope."  
  
They kept searching for Rahne over the Institute grounds, through the bushes and into the small forest. It took them almost two hours, but they finally located the girl. Rahne was curled up under a large tree, sleeping serenely. Ororo motioned for Amara to keep quiet before approaching Rahne.  
  
But when Ororo was only a few feet away, Rahne snapped wide awake, staring her right in the eyes. Ororo noticed that Rahne's eyes were no longer green, but golden, glinting brightly in the light.  
  
"Rahne?" Ororo asked. "We came looking for you when you didn't come to a session."  
  
For a moment, Rahne simply stared back at the two, saying and doing nothing. Then her eyes reverted, and she seemed to regain her wits. Standing up, she rubbed her forehead and brushed herself off.  
  
"Ock, what did A do?"  
  
"You were sleeping outside," Amara said helpfully. "We didn't want you to spend the whole day here."  
  
"Ock, that's right, A have classes!" Rahne remembered. She took off back for the Institute, apparently knowing her way.  
  
"I think we need to tell the Professor about this," Amara said seriously. "Rahne does not seem to be in the right frame of mind."  
  
"I agree, child," Ororo said. "Rahne does need help before her problems become even worse."  
  
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Xavier was in his study when Ororo came to him. She sat in front of his desk while he stayed near the fire, having only rotated around to face her.  
  
"Professor, I think we need to discuss Miss Sinclair's recent behavior," Ororo said.  
  
"And what of it?" he asked.  
  
"She has become withdrawn, and does not interact virtually at all with the other students except for Kitty. This afternoon, I found her sleeping in the woods. Perhaps your friend, Dr. MacTaggert, can tell us if this has happened before."  
  
Xavier considered the idea. "Perhaps, but she did mention that Rahne had a very hard life growing up. Perhaps the change of scenery has affected the girl deeply. I will talk with Dr. MacTaggert about this and see if she has anything to say, just to be certain."  
  
"Thank you, Professor," Ororo said before leaving him to his devices.  
  
********************************************************************  
  
"A troubled new girl?" Mystique smiled. "You don't say?"  
  
Lance nodded. "Yeah. Kitty says she's the girl's only real friend, since everyone else there thinks the girl has mental problems."  
  
"And is there anything else to this troubled child I can use to help her?"  
  
"She's been asking Kitty about me a lot lately."  
  
Mystique's smile broadened as she began formulating plans. Rahne Sinclair would make an excellent member of the Brotherhood of Mutants with her transformational powers.  
  
********************************************************************  
  
Rahne was sitting in her room again, staring up at the moon. She kept feeling the urge to run free like the wild animals, but knew she couldn't risk it. Not only would it jeopardize the Institute, it would also jeopardize her family back in Scotland.  
  
'A always have t'suffer me whole life,' she thought dismally. 'Even that Kitty lass gets more than A do. She gets the boy no other lass can get, an' she makes ye feel good about yuirself. My family does that, but A donna see them enough for the effect to work well. A need a lad like Lance Alvers.'  
  
Rahne looked at the moon more intensely, gears turning in her head.  
  
'Wolves take mates early enough. People do the same. A may be young for me age, but A can get the lad for meself. A'll hurt Kitty's feelings, but A donna know what else t'do.'  
  
**********************************************************************  
  
AUTHOR: Hope everyone liked that!  
  
READ N REVIEW! 


	5. Tender

The Truth About Rahne  
  
By Blackheart Syaoran  
  
AUTHOR: Thanks for reviewing and sorry for the wait!  
  
TO Metalica: Thanks for the nice review.  
  
TO Tary ChAng: Sam sucks. Also: Why before April 12?  
  
__________________________________________________________  
  
Chapter 5: Tender  
  
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The next day, Rahne got up, feeling in better spirits than when she had gone to bed. Dressing, she put her hair into those irresistibly cute pigtails and making sure she looked just right. If she did, then she might stand a ghost of a chance at nabbing Lance for herself. With Kitty as the competition, it wasn't going to be easy, but Rahne wasn't about to give up; she was a Scot, and Scots were made of tough stuff. Besides, she didn't really like the alternatives to Lance: Todd was a loser, Pietro was a bastard, and Fred was simply too fat.  
  
Rahne hurried down the stairs, running over her plan again. She and Lance shared an Algebra class together. That period would be the perfect time to "hit on" Lance, as Rahne had heard American lasses call the act of flirting. Rahne had never bothered to dress up the act as something else, giving it a lame false identity. She had always preferred to be honest in life, as her parents had always told her to be. Besides, honesty paid off nine out of ten times.  
  
As she neared the front of the Institute, she took a deep breath and prayed silently. She knew that only by keeping everything in-line and strictly to the plan would give her a decent shot at nailing Lance. Jean was a telepath, and probably had a disgusting habit of looking in on others' thoughts just for amusement. Logan could tell what people were feeling sometimes, using his senses to discern their emotions through their scents. Rahne hoped he wouldn't be able to tell anything from her scent. But then again, he wasn't going to school.  
  
There were also the others. The X-Men looked out for each other, especially when the Brotherhood of Mutants was involved. Rahne could only hope that none of the others would cause trouble for her. One of them might tell everyone else at the Institute that Rahne was gunning for not only Kitty's boyfriend, but an enemy. Such a thing might get her in trouble with the Professor, and Rahne had no desire whatsoever to have a telepath of Xavier's caliber messing with her thoughts. If he did, then she might lose control of her real powers and...  
  
Rahne shook her head, tossing the thought away. She needed to be positive right now, since Lance would require her best effort to obtain. If she failed, she might never get the chance for a decent boy...  
  
"Rahne, like, come on!" Kitty called to the Scot jovially, completely unaware of Rahne's duplicity. A real friend wouldn't plot behind the back of a girl as heavenly as Kitty, wouldn't scheme to usurp the love of such a girl's life...  
  
But despite all this, Rahne had a feeling Lance was the only one that would ever match with her. The wolf inside told her that he was the perfect mate for her, and the instincts had never failed her before. Rahne couldn't ignore such faithful intuition, not when it had served her right for so many years, ever since she was a little girl.  
  
With a second deep breath, she plopped down into the backseat of Scott's car, Kitty next to her, smiling, making Rahne's guilt burn all the more. It was nearly unbearable, but Rahne had to have Lance, she just had to!  
  
"Rahne, like, what's wrong?" Kitty asked, looking at Rahne.  
  
The Scot started, not realizing the impression she had been giving her "friend." With a weak smile, she said, "It's nothing, Kitty. Ye shouldna worry about me. A'll be fine, lass."  
  
"Are you, like, sure, because I totally think you need to get something off your chest?" Kitty asked.  
  
'Ah, lass, if only ye knew,' Rahne thought heavily. In truth, it was more like Rahne wanted something to get onto her chest---namely Lance, sucking on her nipples. The Scot could easily imagine such a sweet and enjoyable scene, if not live it. "Nay, Kitty, A feel perfectly fine."  
  
Kitty asked no more questions for the remainder of the ride, although she was sure that something was different about Rahne. The girl seemed changed somehow, though Kitty had no way of telling how or why.  
  
The young mutants arrived without trouble, and Rahne squared her shoulders, determined to win this challenge. Of course, she might have to face other challenges, and from her own teammates nonetheless! But, Rahne told herself, she would not back down. She had always been forced to turn the other cheek in most situations, except at times, when she had lost her temper and used her "mutant powers" against others.  
  
Inwardly, Rahne promised herself that, if it came down to a fight in public, she would keep her talents back, using only her fists and wits to win a fight. The X-Men were all reluctant to use their powers in public, since people would most likely regard mutants with fear and hatred. This, though, came as no surprise to Rahne; her kind had endured centuries of persecution, and by and large for things beyond their control! If mutants were nasty, Rahne didn't want to think about how the public would react to the reemergence of other "genetic misfits," as Xavier sometimes called mutants, although Rahne wouldn't really say her kind were "mutants."  
  
Clearing her mind, Rahne focused on the task at hand: Wooing school bad boy Lance Alvers. Lance had a reputation as being tough, both emotionally and physically, since he was regarded as something of a "tough guy," which struck Rahne as a rather silly form of alliteration: The word "Tough" was used far too much in describing the lad. Besides, Rahne was determined to turn Lance into a friendly and emotional boy, one suited to her. It sounded much like the behavior of a Brotherhood member, from the other X- Men's descriptions, but Rahne preferred people with hearts as opposed to those without them.  
  
Grabbing her books from her locker, she headed to Homeroom, waiting for first period to begin. Though she and Lance had Algebra first, Rahne's quest would turn it into Chemistry, as she was set on getting Lance and herself together. And to do that, a couple had to have chemistry.  
  
Homeroom ended after twenty long minutes, and Rahne practically blazed a path through the school as she hurried to the 300 wing, where all the Math classes were. She was among one of the first five students to arrive, putting her books at her desk and eagerly awaiting the arrival of young Mr. Alvers. Students were only permitted four minutes to get to class, get their books, go to the lavatories, or just about anything before class started. Homeroom ended at 7:50, and first period started at 7:54; Lance only had two more minutes, and Rahne found herself sweating a little. Hopefully he wouldn't notice.  
  
At 7:53, Lance trudged into class, throwing his backpack onto the floor next to his desk and dropping into the plastic seat. It looked like he had had a rough night, and Rahne prayed quickly that her advances would soften him up.  
  
"Mornin' to ye," she said cheerfully, causing Lance to jump slightly; she had caught him off-guard.  
  
"Hi," he said, in a completely neutral tone. Rahne hid her slight disappointment.  
  
"Did ye have a rough night?" she asked.  
  
"You could say that."  
  
"Would ye like ta go fer a walk or something ta clear thing up?"  
  
"What?" he asked, sounding confused.  
  
"Get it off yuir chest," Rahne explained. She hoped this plan was working...  
  
"With you? I don't know. Kitty would have my head if she caught me with another girl, especially a bombshell like you."  
  
Rahne smiled. "Thank ye. But ye dinnae need ta worry about Kitty. That lass is my problem."  
  
"I'm still not sure. I mean, I hardly know you, what with you being new here and all. People might start talking."  
  
"Well, at least let me know yuir decision soon. A like ye, an' A donna think Kitty is getting as much as she can from you. A would."  
  
"You like me that much?" Lance asked, surprised.  
  
Rahne nodded. "A do."  
  
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Lance met up with Rahne when the bell had rung, announcing the end of school. He would much rather have gone with the rest of the Brotherhood to the local convenience store and gotten some snacks, since he and the others hardly got anything resembling support from either Mystique or Magneto. Those two only cared about the damned cause, and would never once notice the deaths of their grunts.  
  
It was because of this that Lance, behaving himself just so he didn't get in trouble with a girl Kitty might have sent him so he could cheer her up, cordially escorted Rahne through Bayville City Park. As they walked, Lance kept his eyes and ears open to any signs of either the X-Men or the Brotherhood. After all, both groups had protested his dating Kitty, and would never let him get away with dating someone who had yet to fully brainwashed by Xavier.  
  
What Lance didn't know was that Rahne was also keeping her eyes and ears open for the two mutant gangs---but she also had her nose working, too. If she scented a single one of the two groups, she'd let Lance know that she "thought it was time to go home." Being a guy, he'd believe just about any word that came out of her mouth. That fact almost saddened Rahne, since the Scot really wanted a competent boyfriend, but she would take what she could get.  
  
"Uh, in case you haven't already noticed, walking in the park isn't really my kind of thing," Lance said bluntly.  
  
Rahne shrugged. "A'll get used to it, lad. Where A come from, it's nothing but countryside."  
  
"Really? I thought Scotland had some cities."  
  
"Oh, donna get me wrong, we do, but A live out in the country, with only the town nearby."  
  
"I think I would go nuts if I had to live there. No technology, no civilization, and only the talking monkeys to keep me company."  
  
Rahne blinked. "But there are people there."  
  
Lance nodded. "I know: The talking monkeys, I mentioned them."  
  
Unable to stop herself, Rahne gave a giggle that became a laugh when he told another joke, and then another, and then another.  
  
___________________________________________________________  
  
Kitty was more than a little peeved. Evan had told her that young Miss Sinclair had been seen in the company of Lance, performing, of all things, the acts of both flirting and looking tempting. Kitty wasn't a complete idiot: She knew perfectly well that when a pretty girl was flirting with a guy, it was to get something the girl wanted. Jean probably did the same thing with Duncan Mathews, since the football star was a total loser.  
  
Kitty couldn't believe Rahne's duplicity: The girl had acted like a best friend, but only so she could steal Lance away from Kitty! The girl from Northbrook felt betrayed as anything, and seriously wanted to rip someone's head off. Luckily for her, Rahne was back at the Institute, and Kitty would be able to fulfill her goal: To teach that Scottish usurping slut some manners!  
  
Kitty stormed upstairs, causing Bobby and Ray to leap to either side in order to save themselves from a horrible fate. Kitty ignored both boys, moving up the stairs and then down the hall as she made for Rahne and Amara's room. Hopefully, the islander wouldn't stop Kitty from engaging Rahne in some "heated conversation." Kicking open the door, the X-Man known as Shadowcat entered the room.  
  
A startled pair of girls looked up from where they sat on Rahne's bed: Rahne looked at Kitty with a wary expression, probably having detected the angry air Kitty was doubtlessly exuding, while Amara stared at Kitty, shocked at what the valley girl had done.  
  
"Hello, Rahne," Kitty ground out, her voice dripping pure venom. "I was hoping to get a talk with you sometime today about you and Lance."  
  
Rahne stood up, not scared in the least. "Well, if'n ye must know the truth, A do have eyes for the lad."  
  
"That lad is my boyfriend, you usurping redhead!" Kitty said viciously. "Whoever gave you permission to just go ahead and steal him from me?"  
  
"Well, excuse me, Miss High and Mighty, but A donna remember ye ever putting yuir heart an' soul inta yuir relationship with Lance!" Rahne shot back, just as harsh. "The lad's fair game and ye know it!"  
  
"Fair game?" Kitty repeated. "I don't ever recall Lance being classified as a hunting target!"  
  
"Everyone hunts for love, lass, an' ye know it!"  
  
"Well lately I've been headhunting---and for your melon, Sinclair!"  
  
Rahne knew that whenever someone talked to you like that, they were practically declaring that you and he or she were enemies. Rahne had grown up under that rule, and would probably die by it. She jabbed a finger at Kitty.  
  
"Don' ye talk to me about headhunting, Kitty Pryde," Rahne ground out. "A know more about that sort of thing than ye ever will!"  
  
"Oh, that is it!"  
  
At that, Kitty launched herself at Rahne, talking the other girl over the bed and onto the floor. Amara watched, completely stunned, as the two wrestled around, both trying to gain the upper hand. After a moment, Amara reached out with her mind to contact the Professor.  
  
'Rahne, Kitty, enough!' he commanded loudly, and both girls stopped immediately, neither wishing to anger a telepath of Xavier's magnitude. 'I want the both of you in my study, this instant.'  
  
'Yes, Professor,' they both replied, now in the roles of compliant little children who would be punished by the angry parent. Getting up from the floor, both X-Men trudged to the study like doomed souls.  
  
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"Now Lance," Mystique said, "when do you think young Rahne will be able to come to this humble abode and learn about us?" Though her voice sounded somewhat affectionate, Lance knew Mystique was being plain evil again.  
  
He shrugged. "Don't know. Personally, I'd rather keep her away from here. I don't even remember why I told you about her in the first place. What with being new and all, she'd be easy pickings compared to Kitty, because that Cat's got claws."  
  
Abandoning all pretense, Mystique leaned over to Lance, grabbed his shirt, and pulled him very close, speaking in low, sharp tones of authority.  
  
"Now you listen here, boy," she growled, "I didn't get where I am today by being nice all the time. I do care for others, but that doesn't mean I will hesitate to hurt them a little if I have to."  
  
She didn't need to say anything more, as Lance got her drift perfectly. He knew she would probably put the kibosh on him if he didn't cooperate to some degree, and playing guessing games might not be so bad. Regaining his voice, he began acting more in-line.  
  
"Well, she really likes me, but I wouldn't exactly say she'd just agree to coming over here and talking pleasantly to her sworn enemies. I mean, we've been against the X-Geeks since the start, and she's likely to be wary of us."  
  
Mystique smiled. "Not to worry, my boy. Rahne will join us, making an excellent addition to our little Brotherhood of Mutants." (AN: God, I love saying the BoM's name!)  
  
"You sure, Boss-Lady?" Todd asked, watching TV. "That girl probably ain't got much in her to be one of us."  
  
"Perhaps, and perhaps not," Mystique replied smoothly.  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" Pietro asked, becoming very interested in the discussion.  
  
"It means that our high and mighty Magneto has a few tricks of his own to back mine, and Sinclair will become the warrior that Xavier cannot make her into."  
  
Mystique's eyes flashed malevolently, sending a chill down each spine in the room.  
  
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AUTHOR: Well, hope that was some good!  
  
READ N REVIEW! 


	6. The Bet

The Truth About Rahne  
  
By Blackheart Syaoran  
  
AUTHOR: Thanks for reviewing and sorry for the wait!  
  
TO Tary Chang: Rahne's fate has yet to be seen.  
  
_________________________________________________________________  
  
Chapter 6: The Bet  
  
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Rahne woke up feeling only slightly better than when she had gone to sleep. Professor Xavier had told both her and Kitty off for fighting with each other, leaving a very heavy guilt in both girls. Scowling and doing her best to lift the feeling, Rahne dressed, making sure her pigtails were still as cute as ever before she left her room. On the way to the kitchen, she met up with the Institute's Goth, Rogue. Rahne recalled when she had first arrived and had been tapped by the other girl.  
  
"Uh, Rogue?" she asked tentatively.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"About last night, with Kitty? Well, A know ye two are friends and all, so A think A should apologize to someone."  
  
Rogue laughed. "Ya should apologize to Kitty and Lance for messing her up, not to me. But if you really want to apologize, I can tell Kitty ya did."  
  
Rahne smiled graciously. "Thank ye. Rogue, do ye know anything about the Brotherhood?"  
  
Rogue made a rude sound in her throat. "They're pretty much losers. For a 'brotherhood,' those guys are pretty small in number (AN: Thank God for Ultimate Marvel's revamp of the BoM!). They cause trouble sometimes, but aren't worth much time or effort. I should know; I was one of them. 'Course, that was before I learned that I had been tricked by the Brotherhood's leader, Mystique. She made me think the X-Men were mutant hunters. I switched sides, and here I am."  
  
"But what about Kitty and Lance?"  
  
"Enemies at first, but then they started to like each other, and they began to date. Those two are doing pretty well nowadays."  
  
"Do ye think Lance would ever like another girl?" Rahne asked seriously, with a touch of hope.  
  
Rogue glanced at her teammate. "Maybe, if he really liked her. Of course, he's pretty much head over heels for Kitty, so any new girl would have a hard time changing Lance's object of affection."  
  
Rahne smiled. "Thanks again, lass. Let's hope A benefit from this info."  
  
They entered the kitchen, and Rahne's eyes met Kitty's. For a moment, they just watched each other, saying and doing nothing. Without exchanging more than that one look, both girls sat and began eating. Mercifully for Rahne, Rogue sat between them. However, the Goth was the first to finish her meal, and left when she did so.  
  
To the Scots girl's surprise, Kitty broke the tense silence.  
  
"Look, Rahne, I'm kinda sorry for blowing a gasket on you yesterday. It's just that, well, you're the new kid here, and me and Lance have been dating for a while now. I never really had any friends growing up, since I was always bullied and made fun of. When I connected with Lance, I felt like things were finally going my way. I guess I got a little territorial. Sorry."  
  
Rahne stared, a little surprised that Kitty had just come out with this. The redhead thought she would have to mend things. After all, she still valued Kitty's friendship, despite their rivalry over Lance.  
  
"It's okay, lass," she told Kitty. "A get bullied a lot too, back in Scotland. Folks there really hate me family, and A just wanted to find a real friend for once. When ye told me about Lance, A got all hopeful and wanted to meet the lad, 'cause A thought he'd be nice to me too. A got a wee bit too hopeful, and A wanted him for meself. Sorry too."  
  
Kitty brightened up, having gotten an idea. "Rahne, I think I know how we can resolve this little dispute."  
  
Rahne blinked. "Really?"  
  
Kitty nodded, now smiling in full force. "We can make a bet: Whoever presents Lance with the better 'love present' gets to keep him---unless, that is, he chooses the girl himself. But, for the sake of our friendship, let's have this wager."  
  
Rahne considered her options. She had always held back while here in America, afraid that, despite the others' own mutations, they would despise her. She could possibly force Lance and/or Kitty into going along with her way of things and get the lad for herself, keeping Kitty in check. Of course, that would get her disliked and booted from the Institute. She could switch to the Brotherhood and try for Lance there, where he would likely run into her more often. But that would make her look desperate, or worse.  
  
No, her best choice was to accept Kitty's bet and try to win Lance's heart in that way. It wouldn't be easy, what with her lack of money and all, but she had to try.  
  
"All right, lass," Rahne said, and as cockily as possible, with a smirk and a glint in her eyes to boot. "A accept yuir challenge. Ye'll be looking for a new lad in no time."  
  
"Oh?" Kitty asked, folding her arms across her chest. "And why is that?"  
  
Rahne grinned broadly as she stood, preparing to leave. "'Cause us Scottish lasses are some of the best. That, and A got the luck of the Irish with me, from me ma's side."  
  
"Rahne Sinclair, you will lose this bet so bad," Kitty replied.  
  
__________________________________________________________________  
  
Kitty immediately called her parents after the talk with Rahne. No doubt the Scot was going to do the same, since neither girl had much in the way of the almighty dollar. The phone picked up after a couple of rings, and Kitty happily greeted her parents.  
  
"Kitty, it's been a while since your last call," Terri Pryde said.  
  
"Like, I know, Mom."  
  
"Don't tell me you're getting homesick? I thought you really liked it in Bayville?"  
  
"Well, I do. Actually, Mom, I called to ask for some help."  
  
"Help?" Terri repeated, slightly puzzled. "What with, Kitty?"  
  
"Well, my and this girl made a bet that whoever got my boyfriend the better gift won him, so I need some money for a present."  
  
Terri paused before saying anything. "Kitty, just who is your boyfriend?"  
  
Kitty swallowed. "Lance Alvers."  
  
"Do we know him?"  
  
"He was the boy who almost got us all killed in the school, when my powers first emerged," Kitty said helpfully.  
  
"What? You're dating that lunatic?" Terri gasped.  
  
"Mom, it's, like, not what you think! He's more in control now! Honest, he's not so bad."  
  
"Kitty, do you have any idea what you are doing? What if he's got some plan for you?"  
  
Kitty rolled her eyes. "Mom, please, he would have tried something by now. I just need to get him a really nice present that the other girl can't possibly top."  
  
Terri sighed. "Kitty, honey, I honestly don't know if your father and I can do that. We're talking about some boy who almost killed us!"  
  
"Mom, I swear, he's better now!" Kitty insisted, exasperated.  
  
After a long pause, Terri said, "All right, Kitty, what do you need?"  
  
__________________________________________________________________  
  
'Finally!' Rahne thought. 'A hate remembering those bloody international codes. Waste of time just to call me parents.'  
  
"Sinclair residence," Rahne's father said.  
  
"Da!" Rahne said, glad to finally reach home.  
  
"Rahne, is that ye, lass?"  
  
"Aye!"  
  
"Rahne, good to hear from ye after so long!" Malcolm replied. "Ye want me to get yuir ma?"  
  
"A donna see why not."  
  
There was a pause while Malcolm went and fetched his wife. Enya picked up the phone, and greeted her daughter rather ecstatically.  
  
"Rahne, lass, it's been some time! Why haven't ye called us till now?"  
  
Here, Rahne felt a little guilty. She should have called her parents more often since arriving in Bayville. "A meant to, Ma, but A had a hard time fitting in with the others."  
  
Enya sighed into the receiver. "Rahne, people donna need to fit in; they need to stand out. Haven't A always told ye that?"  
  
"Aye," Rahne replied automatically.  
  
"Well?" her mother asked.  
  
"A kinda am standing out now, Ma. The others think A've got mental problems, and A got into a 'catfight' with another lass over a lad A like."  
  
Rahne didn't like saying "catfight." It sounded funny, and a little stupid, especially since she was no cat. That was definitely Kitty's department.  
  
"Got in a fight?" her mother echoed, and then began saying something to Malcolm.  
  
"She got in a fight? Why?"  
  
"She likes some lad, now hush," Enya said, almost dismissively. Malcolm shook his head and waited for more news. "Rahne, did ye win the fight?"  
  
Rahne was rather surprised at the question; she had been expecting something else. "Nay. The Professor called me and Kitty into his office."  
  
"Wait---ye got into a catfight with a lass named Kitty?" Enya asked skeptically.  
  
"Aye."  
  
Rahne suddenly jerked her head away from the phone, for her mother had just burst into uproarious laughter. Among the mirth, Rahne could make out a few comments about Kitty made by the Irish woman. After a little bit, Enya calmed down and went back to talking with her daughter.  
  
"Rahne, is this fight the reason ye called?"  
  
"A little," Rahne answered. "The real reason is Kitty and A made a bet that whoever got the lad a better present wins him, unless he chooses the other lass."  
  
Enya smiled. "Rahne, this is almost as funny as when A met yuir father."  
  
"Really?" Rahne asked, curious.  
  
"Enya, sweet, please donna," Malcolm begged his wife. "A'll die of embarrassment!"  
  
"And practically in front of our Rahne, no less," Enya smiled. "Well, Rahne, when A first arrived in Scotland, yuir da was working a farming job for the money. Like everyone else, he'd heard about how 'cursed and evil' a woman from the Aran Islands was. Anyway, A met him when he was on a lunch break. He got all sweaty and nervous when A come onto him so strong, like in those silly romances."  
  
Rahne couldn't resist snorting loudly. "And then what happened, Ma?"  
  
"Well, he thought A was crazy, coming onto him like that. He had this priceless look of pure horror on his face, and ye would have loved it, Rahne. Eventually, he got used to me advances, and we got together despite the fact that nobody liked me."  
  
"But they liked Da?" Rahne asked.  
  
"Aye, that they did. Remember, we were in a Scottish village, and yuir da is Scottish, while A'm Irish. They dinnae like me one wee bit."  
  
"What else happened?" Rahne asked, now rather interested.  
  
"Well, naturally, ye came along, lass. But about this bet ye made: What do ye need from us?"  
  
Rahne faltered. "Well, A donna know what to ask from ye. A would say money for a gift, but we donna have much as it is. A really have no idea what to get the lad."  
  
There was a pause while Enya conferred with Malcolm.  
  
"Rahne, yuir da and me have a little idea."  
  
"Aye?" Rahne asked, feeling hopeful.  
  
"Why donna ye ask the lad to come and visit yuir folks in good old Scotland? A trip to another is usually a good way to gain someone's affections. That, and we need to see our future son-in-law!"  
  
Rahne blushed red as Jean's hair, since her own hair had a slight orange to it.  
  
"Ma!" she complained. "Ye donna need to embarrass me like this!"  
  
"Who's embarrassed?" Enya asked. "A mean it, Rahne. A see no reason why ye should be feeling bad about loving some nice lad. And if he is the one for ye, then why shouldn't we see him?"  
  
Rahne knew her mother was right. She should feel pleased that her parents-- -or mother, at least---was taking this so well.  
  
"All right, Ma," she told the older woman. "A'll ask Lance if'n he wants to come to Scotland with me. But how will we afford it?"  
  
"Leave that to us, Rahne," her mother said sternly. "Ye just go and rope the lad for yeself, ye hear?"  
  
Rahne smiled. "Aye. See ye, Ma."  
  
She hung up, feeling markedly better. Now that she had a plan, and a gift that Kitty ought to be hard pressed to top, Rahne could sleep a little easier at night.  
  
____________________________________________________________________  
  
AUTHOR: Hope that was good!  
  
READ N REVIEW! 


	7. Swept Off Your Feet

The Truth About Rahne  
  
By Blackheart Syaoran  
  
AUTHOR: Thanks for reviewing and sorry for the wait!  
  
TO Christina: It is definitely Lahne (Lance/Rahne).  
  
***********************************************************************  
  
Chapter 7: Swept Off Your Feet  
  
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At the Brotherhood House, Lance Alvers was having a very rough time. Mystique had woken him up at the crack of dawn to get ready to "gain a new Brother." Of course, the lunatic was talking about persuading either Rahne or Kitty into joining the Brotherhood. Lance, personally, was rather doubtful of everything. Rahne was young, maybe naïve, but she was nobody's fool. Kitty, an experienced X-Man, could be talked of in the same way. Valley girl, yes; moron, no.  
  
"Now, Lance," Mystique purred, "I want you to make sure not to screw up with either one of the girls. Though Kitty has a more useful power, Rahne wouldn't be such a bad addition, especially considering that she has a heart for you."  
  
Lance heard the snickering from the Brotherhood boys, who were all listening in from the hallway. He ignored them, though, and bulled through this. Pissing off Mystique was pretty much a suicide tactic, and Lance Alvers had no desire to prove that fact correct. The blue metamorph moved in closer to him, practically snuggling up against the earth-shaker.  
  
"You need to compliment a girl, Lance," she said. "It makes them feel appreciated. When girls feel appreciated, they do things for their boyfriends. You know what we want her to do, right?"  
  
"Join up, I know," Lance muttered.  
  
Mystique smiled. "That's right. The X-Men are overrated, and need to be disillusioned. After all, the world will never accept mutants, especially ones that are ghosts or wolves in sheep's clothing."  
  
"Do you have to use the metaphors?" Lance asked.  
  
Mystique glared at him. "Just do what I say!"  
  
"Sorry, jeez!"  
  
The blue woman smoothed herself over quickly, going back to telling her soldier what to do.  
  
"Remember, Lance, if you mess up, Magneto himself might not be pleased with the results. We need to expand into a real Brotherhood, because we only have seven members, one of whom is never really here."  
  
Lance nodded. "Stop worrying. I'll get the job done."  
  
'I just hope the job is the one I want to get done, namely getting the girl of my dreams.'  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
Professor Charles Xavier had been patient---and considerate---enough to time his call perfectly, so that it got there not at one in the morning. He had been asked a while back to phone Doctor Moira MacTaggert about any information regarding Rahne Sinclair's unusual habits, and had only just rediscovered her phone number.  
  
The machine rang for a moment before being answered by a woman's voice, a lovely one with a Highland brogue.  
  
"Doctor Moira MacTaggert speaking," the woman said.  
  
"Moira, this is Charles Xavier," the Professor said. "It's been a while."  
  
Moira laughed into the phone. "Not long enough to forget ye, Charles. What can A do for ye?"  
  
"I was hoping to ask you some questions about one of my newer students here, the girl you sent, Rahne Sinclair."  
  
"Aye?"  
  
"Moira, is there any history of mental instability in the girl's family?" he asked bluntly, trying not to sound too offensive.  
  
Moira was so stunned by his forwardness that she hesitated to respond.  
  
"Nay, there is none. A know the lass's family meself, and they're good folks."  
  
Xavier's brow furrowed.  
  
"Can A ask why ye want to know this, Charles?" Moira asked.  
  
"Rahne has been acting...unusual lately. She has missed a few of her classes at the Institute, and she has been causing some small commotion here due to odd behavior."  
  
"Define 'odd behavior.'"  
  
"Rahne has, for lack of better phrasing, been acting more like her animal self than like a person. I don't really know what this is all about, but I need your help in deciphering these events."  
  
Moira assessed the situation. She could tell her old lover the truth and let the Sinclair family suffer the consequences, or she could lie and spare them. In the end, she decided to use the lies.  
  
"A can only tell ye so much, Charles. Rahne and her family are somewhat hated over here in Scotland."  
  
"How so?" Xavier asked.  
  
"Well, the locals donna know about mutants, but they are superstitious, and you know how people are when they have that affliction. Rahne's mother isn't Scottish, and because of where she comes from, both the woman and her daughter are loathed. The local reverend leads the townsfolk in despising the poor lasses."  
  
"What about Rahne's father?" Xavier asked, intrigued.  
  
"He's accepted by the locals as mostly a victim. They want to 'save him from the Devil,' as they claim. Of course, ye know what they really intend. Rahne's had to deal with racism since she was growing in her mum's womb."  
  
Xavier considered this. "But you don't know if Rahne is blood-related to any disturbed individuals?"  
  
Moira sighed. "Honestly, Charles, A donna know if the girl is. Why? Do ye think she's mad?"  
  
"I can't be sure, Moira. As I have already said, Rahne is acting strange. I want to prevent anyone from being harmed if I can."  
  
"Well, ye do what ye must, Charles. But A'm sure Rahne will take care of herself. She's a tough lass, and she's been in a few scraps."  
  
"Then I will speak to you another time, Moira. Good bye."  
  
"Good bye, Charles."  
  
After he hung up, she added, "And God forbid ye do anything to harm Rahne."  
  
*****************************************************************  
  
When Lance showed up at the Institute, he was more than a little nervous. He had ironed his clothes, had even washed them, and had taken care to comb his hair and put on some light cologne. Hopefully, neither girl would object to these things.  
  
Knocking on the door, he waited for one of the X-Geeks to admit him. After a moment, the door opened, and Ororo Munroe allowed him to enter.  
  
"You'll have to wait a moment," she told him. "Kitty's still getting ready."  
  
Lance shrugged. "It's fine by me. I just don't want to be assassinated while I'm here."  
  
Ororo chuckled. "Don't worry. Wolverine personally told the other X-Men not to interfere."  
  
Lance paled at that. Wolverine was a very scary person, and the rock- tumbler had no intention of pissing that man off.  
  
While he waited, time slipped by, and it must have either moved fast or perhaps Kitty did, because after a moment, she called to him from the top of the staircase. Looking up, he was amazed to see her wearing a stunning silver dress, complete with glittering earrings.  
  
She smiled down at him. "So, Lance, how hot do you think I look tonight?"  
  
"Very," he managed to breath out.  
  
Kitty giggled. "Come on up, cowboy. I got a little something for you."  
  
He did as told, following Kitty to her room. Rogue wasn't there, and he guessed the Goth had decided to leave the lovebirds alone. Lance also noticed that there was a gift in the corner. It was wrapped in red with a big yellow bow, which wasn't so bad.  
  
"What's that?" he asked.  
  
"Your present," Kitty smiled. "Open it, silly!"  
  
Grinning, Lance did just that, and was amazed for the second time that night as he found himself holding a brand-new guitar---electric, to boot!  
  
"Kitty, this is really something," he told his girlfriend. "But won't this set you back a lot? This thing costs quite a few bucks."  
  
Kitty shrugged. "I got some help from parents. They don't trust you, but they trust me."  
  
"O-kay," Lance said. "This baby is awesome!" He smiled at her. "But not as great as you, Kitty Cat."  
  
Kitty giggled. "Lance! I know, play it!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"I have some equipment from Logan. He wouldn't say much about where he got it, but I think he wanted to learn how to play at one time and then gave up. He said you could have it."  
  
Lance had a huge smile on his face. "Kitty, you are the best."  
  
*******************************************************************  
  
Rahne was sitting beside Kitty's door in the hallway, eavesdropping. She did, after all, need to know whether or not she stood good chances of beating her rival in the contest for Lance's affections.  
  
And, judging by the boy's reaction, her chances had now dropped significantly. She could still win, but only if she played her cards right. A trip to her homeland was possibly the only thing that could top Kitty's gift, save for handing the lad the Glasgow Rangers, whom he was most likely not a fan of.  
  
'Rahne, ye dumb lass!' she scolded herself. 'The lad is going to be hers, and ye actually intend to give up! Where's the spirit? Yuir ma never gave up when she was after yuir da, and look what good that did! Ye came along, lass! Just do everything ye can, and ye'll be picking names for the wee ones in no time!'  
  
Now more determined than ever to be Lance's girlfriend---and, eventually, his wife---Rahne stood and stalked to her room.  
  
'It's a good thing A have those lessons me ma taught me. Driving that jeep of his won't be easy.'  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
In the study, Xavier was conversing with a disgruntled Scott.  
  
"Professor, can't you please ask them to turn it down a little?" the field leader of the X-Men requested. "I can barely hear myself think!"  
  
"Now, Scott, you know that Kitty and Lance aren't having the smoothest times together, ever since Rahne began going for the boy."  
  
"But that doesn't give him the right to start blasting 'Enter Sandman' at this hour!" Scott replied.  
  
"True, but it won't happen again. This is a one-time thing only, and Rahne isn't planning on doing anything like this. She's set up a quiet event for her and Lance to enjoy."  
  
Scott sighed. "I still don't understand why they can't just flip a coin."  
  
Xavier smiled. "If every relationship was decided by the flip of a coin, your life would be less filled with Jean, wouldn't it?"  
  
"Yeah," Scott reluctantly agreed, "especially since Duncan Mathews would use a coin with two heads or tails, and would definitely call that side."  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
AUTHOR: Well, that was fairly decent! Next, Rahne tries for Lance!  
  
READ N REVIEW! 


	8. And Whisked Away

The Truth About Rahne  
  
By Blackheart Syaoran  
  
AUTHOR: Thanks for reviewing and sorry for the wait!  
  
***********************************************************************  
  
Chapter 8: And Whisked Away  
  
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Rahne Sinclair was actually feeling pretty proud of herself. She had made the right arrangements so that when Lance showed up, he would be right on time for her surprise. Rahne had to admit that, for a ditzy valley girl, Kitty was pretty smart in using a new guitar to try and rope Lance.  
  
But Rahne was better at hunting than some little kitten. She knew how to nail Lance Alvers for herself, and she was going to do just that. Kitty may have swept Lance off his feet, but Rahne was going to one up the girl by whisking Lance away for a "magically romantic vacation." Of course, Rahne was hoping that it would be such, since Lance was still torn between girls.  
  
All she could do about that was to try for Lance with every drop of strength she had. If she lost, she lost, and if she won, her future would be heavenly. Or, at least she was dreaming of that sort of future with Lance.  
  
Squaring her shoulders as best she could without trying to look cute, Rahne marched herself to Logan's room. At this hour, he was inside, having recently finished a training session with the more seasoned X-Men. Knocking on the door, the Scots girl waited for an answer. The door opened, and Logan actually raised an eyebrow when he saw her.  
  
"What can I do for ya, kid?" he asked gruffly.  
  
"A want ye to teach me how to punch a lad," Rahne asked flatly, no humor in her voice.  
  
For at least a full minute, Logan stared straight at her, blinking only a couple of times. When he had recovered from the initial shock of the request, he asked, "What?"  
  
"Ye heard me."  
  
Logan gave a weak laugh. "Listen, kid, I don't think you're at the point in time when you need to know that sort of thing."  
  
Rahne, however, was not so easily put off. "A want to know, so teach me. A can handle it."  
  
Logan studied her. "You sure you want me to teach ya how to punch a guy?"  
  
Rahne nodded. "A want to knock his lights out."  
  
Logan gestured for her to enter. "Then you've come to the right place."  
  
***********************************************************************  
  
Lance was half-dead when he arrived at the Institute. Mystique had chewed the living crap out of him for not manipulating Kitty into even considering joining the Brotherhood.  
  
'What a bitch,' he thought sourly. 'First, she makes me learn how to treat a girl right, and then she treats me like crap. Next, I have to go see what surprise this Rahne girl has cooked up for me, and go through the Mystique Torture Session for a second time if I screw up again. My life really sucks.'  
  
He raised a hand and knocked on the Institute's door, praying to God that nothing bad would happen to him.  
  
'Then again, what's the worst this girl can do to me? I'm pretty tough myself, and have been in more than a few fights. I should be able to put her on the ground in one shot!'  
  
Feeling uplifted, Lance stood up straight and readied himself for anything. The door opened, and a joyous Rahne flashed a smile.  
  
"Lance!" she said. "A was hoping ye'd make it!"  
  
"Yeah, I was hoping so too," Lance agreed. "So, where's my big surprise?"  
  
Rahne's smile turned mischievous. "It's right here."  
  
"Huh? Where?"  
  
With lightning speed, Rahne shot out a fist and punched Lance square in the face. He reeled back, clutching his busted mug without trying to make it worse.  
  
"My face!" Lance exclaimed. "You hit me right in the face!"  
  
Surprisingly, Rahne seemed very worried. She ran over to Lance, trying to help him.  
  
"Are ye alright?" she asked.  
  
"Mostly," he responded.  
  
"Then try this!" she said right before she socked him in the jaw.  
  
Lance fell onto his back, hurting worse than before. What was wrong with her? Was she trying to kill him or something? It sure seemed like it. Even Kitty had never done this during the times when they were enemies. Did Rahne have mental problems? Did she think love meant beating the snot out of your lover?  
  
"Have you lost it?" he asked, puzzled at her behavior.  
  
"Wish ye would lose conscious thought!" Rahne replied. As Lance stood, she did a field goal kick right to his crotch.  
  
Lance grabbed himself as blinding pain shot through his entire body. Whatever pains he had endured in the past were NOTHING compared to taking a shot to the nads by a chick he liked. For a second, he froze, unable to move before he dropped to his knees, tears slowing rolling down his cheeks. His entire crotch area had gone completely numb, and though he felt no pain, he didn't feel anything else either.  
  
Rahne came up behind him and swung the 2x4 she held, knocking Lance over the back of the head and into oblivion. She thanked whoever had put the object in plain sight, especially in a place where one normally wouldn't find 2x4s. Grunting, she dragged Lance's body into his jeep, strapped him in, and drove away.  
  
**********************************************************************  
  
The drive to Bayville International was hectic, as Rahne was still rather young, and quite unskilled in driving. She swerved in and out of traffic like only a New Yorker could, blaring the horn continuously and shouting some Irish and Scottish obscenities at anyone who got in her way.  
  
The entire drive Lance was out cold, swinging side to side whenever Rahne would jerk the wheel and snapping back and forth when she hit the gas or brakes. He even smacked his head into the dashboard a few times. Rahne, however, was unworried about Lance's health, as she was certain he would survive.  
  
When they did reach the airport, Rahne freed Lance from his seatbelt- enforced confinement and hefted him over one shoulder, carrying him to the gate she was looking for. By the time they were about to take off, Rahne couldn't be happier. At least, not at the moment, but she was sure that things would get brighter once she was back in Scotland with her parents.  
  
With a rolling shudder, the plane rose into the air, and the flight began. Lance sagged forward in his seat, the belt across his waist doing little to keep him upright. With a patient sigh, Rahne leaned over and helped her eventual husband back into a correct position. Satisfied, she was about to put on some headphones when the stewardess came by and asked if she could be of any service. Other than a pillow for Lance, Rahne received some peanuts. Rahne opened the peanut bag and put on the headphones, listening to a techno version of "Jump Around" by the Irish rap group, House of Pain. Even if she wasn't half-Irish, Rahne loved the music of the band.  
  
As the tune came on, she began bobbing her head side to side. Yes, things were looking up for once.  
  
**********************************************************************  
  
The landing was pretty smooth, and was about the time when Lance finally woke up. Groaning loudly, the rock-tumbler rubbed his head and blinked awake.  
  
"Where am I?" he asked groggily.  
  
"Scotland!" Rahne said proudly. "Home of the world's greatest melee masters! We may lose a fight, but we never go down without causing a lot of trouble first!"  
  
Lance looked at her. "What, like in Braveheart?!"  
  
Rahne beamed. "Exactly!"  
  
Lance groaned. "What were you beating me up for? There wasn't an easier way to get me on a plane?"  
  
Rahne shrugged. "Ye wouldna come. A had to do something."  
  
"Let me get this perfectly straight: You kidnap me in order to take me to your homeland, and in order to do that you beat me up, and then you have the guts to act like this is a honeymoon or something?"  
  
Rahne couldn't help but feel her heart skip when he said, "honeymoon."  
  
"Are you nuts?" Lance demanded.  
  
Rahne grinned slyly. "Nay, but the townsfolk are if'n ye listen to them sodding wankers."  
  
"What? I don't understand a word you're saying!" Lance complained.  
  
"So? Just follow me and ye should be alright, unless, of course, ye want to get caught without money."  
  
Reluctantly, Lance followed Rahne into the airport, where a couple was waiting for them. The man had a lean build to him, with a thick reddish beard and friendly blue eyes. The woman was rather beautiful, with cascading crimson hair much like Jean's and green eyes like emeralds.  
  
Upon seeing the two, Rahne threw her arms around them, thankful to be home at long last. She could actually feel a couple of tears on her face, but didn't mind. When they were finished hugging and greeting each other, Rahne made the introductions.  
  
"Ma, Da, this is Lance Alvers, the lad A was telling ye about on the phone."  
  
Hands were shaken, though Lance was wary; if Rahne could kick his butt, he didn't want to tick off her parents.  
  
"So, this is the rogue who's stolen me daughter's heart!" Malcolm Sinclair said cheerfully as he shook Lance's hand in a strong grip. "A always knew she'd get a looker!"  
  
"Just like you did, eh?" Enya Sinclair asked.  
  
"Aye, exactly like A did!" the man said with a grin.  
  
"I guess I shouldn't ask about that," Lance said.  
  
Rahne nudged him in the ribs. "They're just fooling. They want ye to feel relaxed, so they're making jokes."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Come on, then!" Malcolm said. "Time to go home!"  
  
"This is the fun part!" Rahne whispered conspiratorially to Lance, who only shook his head.  
  
***********************************************************************  
  
The Sinclair home was rather cozy, if a little small, but, for a family of three, it was perfectly fine. Lance didn't mind that he was bunking with Rahne, since things didn't look so bad after a moment's consideration. Scotland, altogether, seemed like a pretty decent place to live, if you ignore its problems.  
  
'Then again, Northbrook had problems too,' Lance thought, remembering the bullies Kitty had put up with and his own loser friends.  
  
"Nice room," he complimented. "A little light in decorations, but it's alright."  
  
"Thanks," Rahne said, smiling. "A donna get many people here."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Well, me family's been despised by the villagers ever since me ma came here from the Aran Islands."  
  
Lance was inwardly confused. "And that's bad how?"  
  
Rahne's face darkened slightly. "I'll tell ye later. Right now, let's get some good Scottish cooking for dinner!"  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
In the village church, Reverend Craig was raising trouble again. He was not disappointed with the turnout of "believers," as the entire town was his audience for the night. The people were angry to discover that Rahne had come back, and were shocked, horrified, and somewhat outraged to learn that someone else had accompanied her, someone they were afraid was another monster.  
  
"That girl and her mother were trouble enough, but now this new lad's come, and he's probably as bad as those two, if not worse!" one of the villagers voiced.  
  
"And what if that Sinclair girl's had some time with him, eh?" a fearful mother suggested. "That freak might be pregnant with a whole lot of unsightly beasts!"  
  
"Maybe the Sinclair woman is too, if you're right!" a man agreed. "That new lad could be causing all sorts of evil, and we're sitting here talking about it! Damn it, I want some action!"  
  
The villagers all cheered these thoughts, causing the stained glass windows to shudder. Craig raised his hands, calling for silence. When the noise went down, he began speaking, making sure he was loud enough to be heard.  
  
"Now, A knew ye all got yuir worries, but A got the solution right here!"  
  
He held up the Holy Bible in one hand, and the crowd positively exploded with supporting roars. He quieted them again before continuing.  
  
"People, as God's instruments, we must purge this village of all evils--- including the tainted blood that Irish harlot has spread!" Again the crowd roared before letting him go on. "Her evil and the evil of her daughter have bewitched a fellow Scotsman, and perhaps done something to this newcomer! We need to exorcise the evil, and now!"  
  
His words were followed by a thunderous cascade of support.  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
AUTHOR: Getting scary!  
  
READ N REVIEW! 


	9. Black Bible Tyrant

The Truth About Rahne  
  
By Blackheart Syaoran  
  
AUTHOR: Thanks for reviewing and sorry for the wait!  
  
TO Rogue: Same to you, friend. (No offense intended).  
  
***********************************************************************  
  
Chapter 9: Black Bible Tyrant  
  
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The first thing Lance noticed when he woke up was that he had a pounding headache. Rubbing his forehead, he groaned, slowly sitting up. He looked around, briefly forgetting where he was. After a moment, he recalled that he had opted to sleep on Rahne's floor last night, though she had wanted him to share the bed with her.  
  
Carefully, doing his best not to make his headache worse, Lance stood and cleared his vision, staring out the window at the rolling Scottish grounds. He had to admit, Rahne's family had a pretty sweet plot of dirt. Stretching, making sure not to wake the girl up, Lance crept to the bathroom and relieved himself. As he did so, he wondered what would happen today. Most likely, Rahne would flirt with him some more.  
  
When he was finished, Lance got dressed and glanced over at Rahne, who was still sleeping like an angel. 'An angel with a killer kick to the nuts,' Lance thought wryly, wincing. Just as he thought this, Rahne shifted in her sleep, almost making him jump in surprise.  
  
'Careful, Lance, or you might cut off a nice dream she could be having,' he warned himself. Keeping one eye on her, he made his way out the door, heading for the front porch. He took a seat in one of the wicker chairs there, and studied the rather captivating landscape.  
  
***********************************************************************  
  
Rahne shifted again in her sleep, only this time, her dream was turning into a nightmare. She kept seeing flashes of spurting blood, mutilated bodies of both herself and those she loved, including Lance, and everything was accompanied by the sound of snarling wolves.  
  
Rahne awoke with a violent jerk, letting out a scream. She looked around her room, her bearings lost for a moment, before she realized she was safe. It had only been a bad dream. She took several deep breaths, letting reality sink in. When she felt better, Rahne looked onto the floor, noticing that Lance was gone. His blanket and pillow were neatly put into a corner, and his clothes were nowhere to be seen.  
  
Rahne got out of bed and put on a bathrobe. She let her senses expand, sniffing out Lance's scent among all the others, and followed it. She weaved her way through the small home to the front porch, and she snuck up behind the boy.  
  
"Boo!" she said, causing Lance to fall out of his wicker chair.  
  
He stood up with a scowl. "Don't do that."  
  
Rahne shrugged. "Fine, lose yuir sense of humor."  
  
"What were you dreaming about?" Lance asked. "You looked a little uneasy."  
  
Rahne didn't answer immediately. "A had a bad dream."  
  
"Anything you want to talk about?"  
  
Rahne shook her head. "A'd rather not spoil the chance to have fun today."  
  
Lance raised an eyebrow. "And your idea of fun is what? Beating up your crush?"  
  
Rahne laughed. "No, not really. A was hoping 'fun' would be us spending quality time with each other."  
  
"Yeah, but when?"  
  
Rahne grinned. "Now's a better time than most, since the townsfolk aren't up so early half the time."  
  
Lance blinked. "Early? What time /is/ it?"  
  
"About 6:30."  
  
Lance raised his eyebrows. "I don't think I've /ever/ gotten up so early in my life. Must be the fresh air here."  
  
Rahne smiled. "A told ye: Scotland's the best."  
  
Lance smiled back. "Actually, no, you didn't tell me until now."  
  
"Aye, well, ye know what A mean."  
  
***********************************************************************  
  
It turned out the small town was actually pretty pleasant, though, from what Rahne told him, it was filled with Bible-loving, racist maniacs. This early in the morning, most of the small town was sleeping, so the two got to spend some time with each other, as they had hoped to.  
  
Rahne led Lance to a spot on a small hill that overlooked a small river. Sitting in the shade of the hill's tree, Lance and Rahne spent a little while making small talk about their real feelings, not only for each other but also for Bayville, the world, their different and conflicting causes, and a few other subjects. Not once, however, did Rahne mention her ancestry, except to say what Lance basically already knew: That Rahne's parents came from two different cultures, and that Rahne's family was rather despised because of her mother.  
  
"I still don't get it, though," Lance said. "Everyone hates you and your mother just because of her, but they don't hate your dad?"  
  
Rahne nodded. "It's weird, aye, but it's true. They all feel sorry for him, and they think that he's been seduced or something." Rahne checked her watch. "We better be going now; the townsfolk will wake up soon."  
  
Lance nodded, and the two stood up, brushing themselves off before starting back to Rahne's home. As they made their way through the town's outskirts, they noticed a small group of kids waiting for them just at the town's edge, leaning on a fence that had clearly seen better days. The group consisted of four kids a little older than Rahne was, two of each gender.  
  
"Come on," Rahne muttered to Lance. "They'll just cause us trouble."  
  
"Oi, Sinclair!" one of the girls called as Lance and Rahne approached. "We want to talk to ye!"  
  
"It's not to cause trouble, honest!" one boy promised. "We won't cause no trouble, really!"  
  
The other two stepped in front of Rahne and Lance, halting their progress.  
  
"Sinclair, honest, we just want to trade words," the second girl said.  
  
"We'll throw no punches or nothing," the second boy promised.  
  
"Aye? And what makes ye think A care about what ye have to say?"  
  
"It's just words, Sinclair, ye can shrug them off," the first boy said gruffly.  
  
"And what if neither of us wants to bother listening in the first place?" Lance asked, not liking the kids in the least.  
  
"Aye, well, uh," the boy muttered, not having much to say in response.  
  
"Look, we'll just talk to Sinclair for a second, that's all," the first girl told Lance. "Ye can watch us, we'll only be a little way off so ye don't overhear."  
  
Before Lance could protest, the girls had taken Rahne's arms and were pulling her off, and the boys were blocking him.  
  
"Out of the way," Lance growled. "Now."  
  
"Listen, lad, we donna want a fight," the second boy said. "We just want to tell ye about the girl's heritage."  
  
"I /know/ about Rahne's heritage, moron," Lance bit out.  
  
"Then do ye know that her family practices paganism?" the first boy asked. "Her family worships animals!"  
  
"I see no immediate problem with that," Lance said.  
  
"Friend, we're trying to help ye out here!" the second boy said. "Sinclair and her mum are rotten to the core, and they've already bewitched one good lad. Ye cannae let it happen to ye."  
  
"I'll be the maker of /that/ choice, pal," Lance growled.  
  
With Rahne, the two girls were taking a more brutal approach:  
  
"A'm surprised, Sinclair, really," the first girl said. "Ye'd have to be one great big slut to nail a poor lad like him."  
  
"Aye," the second girl agreed. "But A find meself wondering if'n ye used witchcraft on the lad, since ye're too subhuman to get him on yuir own."  
  
"Do ye honestly think ye have a chance with him?" the first girl asked. "What do ye think'll happen when the lad finds out, eh, Sinclair?"  
  
"That's right, lass," the second girl nodded. "He'll /hate/ ye just like everyone else. And ye know it."  
  
"Tell yuir mum to go back to where she came from, Sinclair," the first girl advised. "And tell yuir mum to take ye with her. God knows ye should stick to yuir own kind."  
  
Rahne glared at the two before turning on her heel, grabbing Lance's arm, and storming down the road. Lance noticed Rahne didn't say a single syllable as they walked---or rather, as she pulled him along roughly. He didn't think it was smart to ask her what the girls said to her, at least not yet.  
  
When the pair arrived at the Sinclair house, Rahne finally let go of Lance's hand, stalking angrily to her room. Lance went after her. She hadn't locked her door, for which he was grateful, and he entered. Rahne was on her bed, curled up and crying. Lance's heart ached at the sight, which was coupled with her sobs.  
  
"Rahne, you okay?" he asked, hoping she wouldn't get worse from his presence.  
  
"Nay!" she sobbed. "Go away!"  
  
Lance didn't. He came over, sitting down next to her on her bed corner. She didn't look at him, even when he put a hand on her shoulder. She continued to weep.  
  
"Rahne, come on, what did those losers say to you?"  
  
"Nothing ye need to hear about!" she snapped, her voice muffled from the covers she was partially wrapped in.  
  
"Rahne, I'm not leaving until you work with me."  
  
"They said ye'd hate me if ye knew!" she sobbed, starting to cry harder. "They made me feel bad!"  
  
"So? I get that all the time. I've been getting it since the start. Things are even worse now that I know I'm a mutant, and instead of being some social failure, I'm a villain or something."  
  
"Ye donna /understand/!" Rahne said. "I'm not normal!"  
  
Lance was getting tired of this real fast. He gripped Rahne's shoulder and separated her from her covers, making her look at him. She began to struggle, and he had to use both hands to pin her arms to her bed, and he lay on top of her so she wouldn't get free. Rahne gave up struggling uselessly, and Lance was glad.  
  
He noticed that their bodies were actually rather close together, and that Rahne's heavy panting was, incredibly, a turn on. Before he knew it, Lance was leaning inward, captivated by her emerald pools. He knew he was hulking compared to her small frame, but that didn't bother him.  
  
Their faces were only an inch away now...  
  
Both sets of lips made contact, neither person forcing it. While it lasted, Lance felt drowned in bliss. Emotions were rushing through him at breakneck speeds, settings him entirely on fire. He could almost feel as though he was Rahne, as if they were one person. Apparently, the first kiss was the best when it was someone you truly loved. He had never felt like this with Kitty, even when they did make out.  
  
Lance didn't want the moment to end. He wanted it to last forever.  
  
He was happy, here in Scotland with Rahne Sinclair.  
  
***********************************************************************  
  
When they made contact, Rahne, to her great surprise, didn't want to end it. She felt her heart speed up more than it ever had before, and she had to grip the covers so as not to rip off Lance's clothes and pull him close. A shiver ran down her spine, and her skin prickled, making her want to get rid of these bothersome garments and express herself.  
  
The kiss deepened, and Rahne opened her mouth wide, letting Lance's tongue enter and explore. As he did so, Rahne whimpered softly and did the same to his mouth with her own tongue, enjoying the moment more than ever. Even though it was awkward being pinned down by Lance, she didn't mind it at all.  
  
Rahne opened her eyes, realizing she had kept them closed during the previous moments of the kiss. Lance still had his shut, and was showing no signs of wanting to open them. Rahne used the moment to glance at the mirror opposite the bed, inwardly praying her parents wouldn't walk in on her, even though she would forgive them. When she noticed herself in the mirror, something seemed different: She could see her reflection better, in more detail, brighter than normally, and her eye---  
  
Rahne's heart stopped.  
  
Her eye---it was changing into wolf form.  
  
Panicking, Rahne pulled away from Lance, surprising the both of them. She hastily backed up, stopping when she felt the headboard of the bed against her back. She gulped, breathing heavier than after she had struggled in Lance's grip.  
  
"What, what is it?" Lance asked, confused at her behavior. "What'd I do?"  
  
Rahne shook her head. "It isn't ye, Lance; it's me. A cannae do this. It's not right."  
  
"What's not right about it?" he asked. "Rahne, come on, there's nothing to feel bad about."  
  
"A told ye A'm not like other girls, Lance," she said softly. "A'm a monster."  
  
Lance shook his head. "That's not true and you know it. You're too beautiful to be a monster. I mean, look at you. You could have just about any guy you wanted."  
  
Rahne shook her head, feeling sorrow sink in, as she knew he would never accept the truth about her never being able to have peace.  
  
"A'm sorry, Lance, A really am, but A cannae be with ye," she said sadly.  
  
Lance was not to be put off so easily. "Rahne, you need some fresh air to clear that messed-up head of yours."  
  
She looked at him, blinking. Without waiting for a response, he took her hand and led her outside, and they began walking down the road, although Rahne wasn't too enthusiastic.  
  
"Lance, what're ye doing?" she demanded.  
  
He turned on his heel to face her.  
  
"Rahne, you've been just a little too nice to me to go all sulky on yourself now. You don't want your parents to see you all bummed out, do you?"  
  
Rahne hadn't even thought about that, she was so upset. "Ye're right. A donna think they'd like me crying over things A've already gone through before."  
  
Lance cocked an eyebrow. "What?"  
  
Rahne shook her head. "It's too much. Ye'd be angry with me."  
  
Lance took on a subtle pleading look. "Rahne, come on. I promise I won't laugh if it's that sort of thing."  
  
Rahne stares him in the eyes. "Ye won't?"  
  
"Honest."  
  
Rahne took a deep breath. Only her family and Moira MacTaggert knew about the Sinclair secret, and she was about to reveal it to a boy she loved to no end, but a boy who might never believe her.  
  
"A'm not who and what A say A am, Lance, ye already know that," she told him. "A told ye me ma's from the Aran Islands, and everyone around here and in Ireland is afraid of people from the Aran Islands. Me ma didn't care about that, and just went on with the relationship she was having with me da. He and only one other person donna care about me secret."  
  
"What secret" Lance asked.  
  
Rahne looked into his eyes. "A'm a werewolf."  
  
**********************************************************************  
  
Lance said nothing. He hadn't expected something like this from someone like Rahne Sinclair. He liked, even loved the girl, but her saying this was something he would never had admitted to imagining her saying.  
  
'A werewolf? You have to be kidding me, right?'  
  
"Rahne, not that I doubt you, but it's a little hard to swallow that idea. I mean, you're such a nice person, and werewolves are all nasty and bloodthirsty, you know?"  
  
Rahne's shoulders sagged. "But it's true, Lance. I wouldna lie to ye. A really am a werewolf, right from me ma's side. That's why everyone here's afraid of me and me ma: The Aran Island folks are all werewolves."  
  
Lance grinned at her, admiring how much like an angel she looked in the moonlight. "Well, if you /are/ a werewolf, you're probably the best of them."  
  
Rahne blushed, taking in the compliment. She glanced into the sky, catching the darkness and the moon---which was full. Rahne was unconcerned about that, though, as she led Lance to a grassy patch.  
  
"Ye know, ye look kind of manly in this light," she purred seductively.  
  
Lance's grin broadened. He leaned over her, this time enjoying a position like the one they had been in earlier. He looked her in her emerald eyes.  
  
"Don't you know it," he replied.  
  
They kissed again, this time going right for the full-mouth experience. Rahne's skin felt like it was completely on fire, and she used her hands to quickly undo both her pants and Lance's. He stops the kiss, glancing down in silent astonishment before looking at her.  
  
"A love ye, Lance Alvers," she said, meaning it.  
  
"And I love you, Rahne Sinclair," he responded before kissing her again.  
  
Before either of them knew it, their clothes were a memory, and everything was bliss. Rahne had always had her parents' love for her, but what she had and was experiencing with Lance was a different form of the same thing: Love. Despite the warm feelings her family shared, she had always had to endure the hardships caused by the townsfolk, which would occasionally put her down more than she would admit.  
  
Now, though, all those terrible things meant nothing. Rahne had finally found someone who loved her like her parents loved each other, and she loved him. And she wasn't about to let it go.  
  
As for Lance, he felt similar. Taking a relationship to the next level by way of sex was never what he had in mind for Kitty. Such a thing would destroy her, which is why he always went for the gentler stuff with her. Rahne, though she was capable of being hurt, had a hard exterior that could survive many attacks. She could handle sex, /if/ it was for the right reason.  
  
And this time, it was: They loved each other, not lusted for each other.  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
Rahne had felt her brains dissolve into mush the moment Lance took her. All she could do was react instinctively, which was something she was, thankfully, good at doing. She responded to his thrusts with her own, her head swimming with ecstasy, and Rahne couldn't stop herself from moaning.  
  
The heat her body was exuding didn't bother her---or Lance, for that matter. He bulled through it, grunting lowly as he expressed himself to Rahne. The Scottish girl felt something great building within her, something she had no idea of. She had certainly never felt such a thing before, and inwardly prayed it wouldn't hurt either her or her lover.  
  
With a scream, both of surprise and pleasure, Rahne climaxed. Her chest heaved as she caught her breath a moment before Lance came.  
  
Mentally and physically exhausted, Rahne only managed to make sure Lance was all right before passing out.  
  
***********************************************************************  
  
The first thing she heard were mumbling, undecipherable, distant voices. They seemed to be talking about something important, but Rahne couldn't make anything out. She tried to focus, but it didn't work; her body simply refused to awaken.  
  
Then she felt a series of grips on her body, all of them tight and firm, as if holding her down. Again, Rahne tried to move, to open her eyes, to get some idea as to what was going on. Her body, though, still would not yield to her wishes.  
  
And then something rudely jammed itself into her mouth, and Rahne felt it being secured to her head. The girl felt her fear growing at a blinding rate. Someone was doing something to her, and it wasn't something nice.  
  
Abruptly, a sharp, powerful smell shot up her nose, and Rahne awakened with a start, blinking in the bright light. She shook her head to try and clear it, looking around to see what was going on.  
  
"Well, the little wolfling finally awakens, A see," drawled a haughty voice Rahne knew all too well.  
  
Reverend Craig strutted over to his captive, a very broad and satisfied grin on his face. To the unaware, he would appear a very warm and genial figure, but such wasn't the case for individuals like Rahne. The man had persecuted her since conception in her mother's womb.  
  
Craig stopped at Rahne's side, calmly putting a hand on his hip, a hand that held the Bible, of all things. Rahne felt her fear gradually turn to anger at his actions.  
  
"Ye know, lass, that ye cannae move in this here getup," Craig said. Rahne glanced at herself, seeing she was firmly strapped to a large wooden cross, which amazed her, since she hadn't imagined even Craig capable of such sacrilegious action. Leather straps at her thighs, shins, ankles, wrists, forearms, waist, and above the elbow held her down securely, allowing Craig to talk. A rubber ball gag, the kind used in sex, kept Rahne from speaking. Last but not least, Rahne was also garbed in a white robe, which puzzled her.  
  
"If ye're wondering how we caught ye, well, ye were making so much noise out there with the lad that we hadn't a chance of not hearing ye. The two of ye were sleeping like babes, and we just up and took care of things." He made several tsks. "It's a shame, though, that we couldn't have saved the lad earlier. He wouldna listen to the pair A sent to warn him about ye, and now he's gone and impregnated ye." Craig tsked again. "Too bad ye had to spread the evil, lass."  
  
Rahne was becoming so angry that all she could think of was tearing Craig apart. She glanced around, trying to find Lance. She spotted him only a few yards away, also strapped to a cross in the same way she was, and garbed in a similar robe. He was still out cold.  
  
"Now, ye're probably wondering where yuir parents are, so look there," Craig said, pointing.  
  
Rahne did so, and gasped when she was both her parents in the same fashion as her. Malcolm was slowly coming around, but Enya was fully awake, and struggling fiercely against her bonds. Rahne had to admit that her mother had tenacity.  
  
"A'm sure ye want to know what we plan on doing with ye lot," Craig said, "so A'll tell ye: We're going to purify yuir tainted blood, lass, and clear the lad's head of yuir lies. Ye see, we tested the lad, and he is no monster like ye are. Now, since he isn't one of ye, we need to make sure he understands what he's gotten himself into. Ye lured him in with yuir evil charms, lass, and the Lord will save the lad."  
  
Rahne gave Craig the strongest death-glare she could, but Craig only chuckled.  
  
"And the fun doesn't end there, lass: We're going to use the power of good to put ye in the hands of salvation."  
  
Rahne felt her blood run cold. They were going to /purify/ her? Were they mad?  
  
Craig went on: "Ye know the Lord Jesus Christ is a good person, Rahne Sinclair, unlike what yuir Devil-worshipping mother tells ye. Both Jesus and God love all their children, including yuir mother and ye, and A'm going to save ye, lass, A'm going to save ye /all/."  
  
The glint in his eyes answered her question: Craig /was/ mad.  
  
Rahne looked back to Lance, who had now woken up. He looked about frantically, and then his eyes met hers. His brown pools were filled with confusion and fear, and she knew he wanted to use his powers but couldn't; not only would he be endangering people, but it wouldn't guarantee the two an escape.  
  
As Lance gazed into Rahne's emeralds, he read the message in both them and her worry-filled heart.  
  
'A told ye, Lance: A'm a werewolf.'  
  
********************************************************************  
  
AUTHOR: Things don't look so good for the lovers now!  
  
READ N REVIEW! 


	10. Dark Savior

The Truth About Rahne  
  
By Blackheart Syaoran  
  
AUTHOR: Thanks for reviewing and sorry for the wait!  
  
TO keebler-elmo: He was angry, but he got over it.  
  
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Chapter 10: Dark Savior  
  
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Lance didn't know what was stranger: That he was vacationing in Scotland with a werewolf girl who loved him, or that the locals were, from the looks of it, going to crucify him. The rock-tumbler glanced around, trying to find a way to get free of the pickle he was in.  
  
A short distance away, Rahne's mother was still trying her best to free herself. She jerked wildly, and though she was gagged, Lance was pretty sure the woman was saying as many curses as she could. The locals, though, ignored her for the most part and continued clearing away various items so that Lance and the other captives were the perimeter of a small clearing.  
  
'Gotta get loose,' he thought. 'No telling what these freaks will do to us once things get into motion. And here I thought getting on Magneto's bad side was harsh.'  
  
He looked at Rahne, who was still staring at him with tear-laced eyes. He could tell she was trying to say something to him, and the words were indescribably clear.  
  
And then something moved.  
  
Lance's eyes shifted from Rahne to a man dressed in what was undoubtedly a reverend's garb. The man moved away from Rahne and was casually striding over to Lance, who was about to rattle off demands for answers when he realized he had a gag ball of some sort in his mouth.  
  
The reverend chuckled, a smug expression on his face as he stopped in front of Lance. He smiled at the young mutant before speaking.  
  
"Ye know, lad, A'm not sure what A expected from ye, but knocking up the Sinclair girl was definitely not it. A thought ye'd exercise some reserve, maybe even use one of them condoms or something, but no, you didnae, did ye?" He chuckled again, cruelly. "A know ye want to know what us lot are up to, so A'll tell ye the same A did to the girl."  
  
He cleared his throat before going on. "Malcolm Sinclair was seduced by a very wicked woman, lad. It's the intention of everyone here that we help the Lord Jesus Christ to free your tainted soul. Oh, it's all right, lad, we know ye been corrupted by those freakish harlots over there. Not to worry, though, for you'll soon be saved. Ye have Reverend Craig's word on that."  
  
Lance knew that whatever bad feelings he had towards Craig previously were now magnified a hundred fold, if not more. He glared balefully at the Reverend, who merely returned a smug expression before striding off to speak with some of his fellow captors.  
  
'If that guy really does work for God, then I'm glad I don't,' thought Lance bitterly. It wasn't that he was against God, but he would never side with a madman like Craig, on anything.  
  
Mentally sighing, Lance glanced over at Rahne's parents. Malcolm was awake now but not struggling. Enya's struggles were dying down but still had strength. Lance had to admire the woman for at least being so tenacious.  
  
'I'd feel less insecure about the situation if I wasn't wearing this ridiculous outfit,' he thought.  
  
Lance's eyes narrowed as he realized he was thinking about something as trivial as fashion at a time like this. What was wrong with him? If anyone ever found out, he probably would never hear the end of it.  
  
"Look out!" someone cried abruptly. "It's out of control!"  
  
'What the hell?' Lance wondered as he looked over to what was happening.  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
Rahne had stopped looking at Lance for several minutes now, since Craig had gone over to talk to the rock-tumbler. She felt more than a little ashamed for bringing such a fate upon him, and because of it could not look him in the eye very much.  
  
'It's all me fault,' she thought dismally. She barely suppressed a shudder of dread.  
  
But that feeling increased once the locals started shouting.  
  
Rahne glanced over at them, annoyed that they had interrupted her grieving-- -  
  
From what Rahne could tell, one of the cables that Craig was having moved around had come to life and was attacking the locals. Moving like a snake, it lashed out at the town butcher, wrapping around his leg and throwing him into several of the others.  
  
"Hack it off, hack it off!" Craig shouted. "Somebody get an axe!"  
  
But the cable attacked again, ensnaring Craig's throat and pulling him closer. The townsfolk froze, unsure of what to do now that their leader had been, for lack of better words, taken hostage. They looked at each other, doing nothing but watching the cable.  
  
"Do something, ye fools!" Craig hissed, trying to free himself from the steel noose, which was steadily tightening.  
  
"Oh, rest assured they will indeed 'do something,' my dear Reverend Craig," a rolling and ominous voice said, resembling thunder.  
  
Lance felt his blood run ice cold. He had heard that voice only so many times before now, but not very recently. In fact, he had almost forgotten the kind of fear and obedience it inspired in the Brotherhood.  
  
Now, though, he was remembering exactly who it was that had come, quite possibly, to Lance and Rahne's rescue.  
  
Magneto floated in through the open flaps of the tent's entrance, looking like nothing so much as a menacing "dark angel" of sorts. He touched down next to the struggling Craig, whose eyes were wide as dinner plates with terror. The Reverend no doubt thought that Magneto was the Devil himself.  
  
"Now, my esteemed Reverend Craig, would you mind explaining to me exactly what you were planning on doing to these people?" Magneto asked calmly, gesturing to the captives.  
  
When Craig didn't answer, the Master of Magnetism loosened the cable's hold slightly. Craig took in a breath of air and wheezed out, "We were doing the Lord's work, you madman!"  
  
" 'The Lord's work'?" Magneto repeated, sounding very amused. "Reverend, do you even realize that you have abducted people who are superior to you?"  
  
"Donna make me laugh!" Craig hissed.  
  
Magneto tightened the cable and Craig went back to struggling for his life.  
  
"Free them," the mutant overlord commanded the townspeople. "Now."  
  
Frightened half out of their minds, the locals immediately complied, undoing the straps despite the furious glares Craig was giving them. Once Rahne, Lance, and the Sinclairs were free, Magneto cracked the cable at the locals. The people jumped in terror and fled the scene, making for their homes post haste.  
  
Magneto watched them run, his back to those he had just rescued. Lance stared at his former leader. The young mutant wondered if it would be a wise move to speak with Magneto, because the man could be angry at a Brotherhood mutant fraternizing with two X-Men.  
  
'Guy would probably skin me alive,' Lance thought with a shudder.  
  
"Um, ah, thank ye," said Rahne's timid voice.  
  
Both Magneto and Lance looked at Rahne, each wearing an expression of surprise. Rahne was looking at the ground, avoiding anyone's gaze.  
  
"A guess we owe ye our lives," Rahne said.  
  
"Nonsense, child," Magneto replied, turning his gaze back to the hills outside the tent. "The only lives owed belong to those people fleeing from us. They don't realize just how puny they are right now."  
  
"Well, we should still say thanks, Mister...?" Malcolm said.  
  
"Magneto."  
  
And without another word, Magneto levitated into the air and flew off. For a moment, the Sinclairs and Lance exchanged glances, and then silently headed back to the Sinclair home.  
  
They were undisturbed for the rest of the day, at the end of which they all set off for the airport. Lance couldn't help feeling more than extremely glad to be going back to a place that was, by far, infinitely safer than this land. Yes, Bayville had its own dangers, but at least it kept a fairly tight leash on mad reverends.  
  
On the flight back home, Lance let Rahne rest her head on his shoulder. The scene was almost clichéd, but he didn't care, not after what had happened. He did, though, keep looking at her, wondering what she was now dreaming.  
  
After a while, Lance gently rested his head on top of hers and drifted off.  
  
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AUTHOR: Short, yes, but pointed.  
  
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	11. Friends

The Truth About Rahne  
  
By Blackheart Syaoran  
  
AUTHOR: Thanks for reviewing and sorry for the wait!  
  
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Chapter 11: Friends  
  
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The flight lasted long enough for a restful sleep. Lance hadn't dreamt of anything but warm darkness. In fact, he didn't want a dream; it might have turned into a nightmare about recent events involving mad reverends.  
  
When they arrived at Bayville International Airport, Lance roused Rahne gently. She took a minute to wake, mumbling something about talking chocolate bars that did the Irish jig.  
  
"Rahne, you really need to wake up and get off the plane now," Lance urged.  
  
"All right, all right, A'm coming," Rahne muttered as her eyelids slowly lifted.  
  
"We need to get our bags," he said.  
  
Drowsily, Rahne got up from her seat and grabbed her bag, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.  
  
"What time is it?" she asked between yawns.  
  
"I don't have a watch," Lance replied, "but I'd say it's time to go home."  
  
"Aye," Rahne nodded as she followed him off the airplane.  
  
The pair made their way towards a payphone, Lance ready to call for a ride, but Rahne quickly spoke up.  
  
"A got yuir jeep here, ye know."  
  
Lance blinked. "You do? I thought you would have left it at the Institute."  
  
Rahne shook her head. "Nope, A drove it meself."  
  
At this, Lance raised an eyebrow. "Let's hope you didn't hurt anybody."  
  
"No more than a few folks."  
  
Lance shook his head as Rahne led the way to the vehicle, hopping into the driver's seat and took the wheel, leaving the parking garage. For a while, the two were unable to speak to one another. Lance began feeling uneasy with the silence, and decided to break it.  
  
"You know, Rahne, we're going to have to tell the others something," Lance said. "They're going to want to know what happened over in Scotland."  
  
"Well, we could tell them that we found each other," Rahne suggested. "And that's not a lie, ye know; we /did/ fall in love there."  
  
Lance grimaced. "I know. And that's another thing: We're gonna have to tell the X-Geeks what really happened between us, regardless of whether they believe our lie or not. Once you start showing signs of pregnancy, they're going to start asking questions."  
  
Rahne looked at Lance. "What makes ye think A'll start showing signs of pregnancy?"  
  
"Duh, we had sex and I wasn't wearing protection."  
  
Rahne's face flushed and she quickly averted her eyes to the dashboard. After a moment, Rahne looked back at Lance.  
  
"Well, at least it willna be all bad, will it?" Rahne said, smiling shakily. "It'll be ours instead of some tramp's."  
  
"Yeah, I guess that's a good thing," Lance agreed. "I wonder if we should start considering names or something."  
  
"That wouldna be a bad idea," Rahne said, her smile more genuine now. "Then we'll know what to name the bairn when it comes out."  
  
Lance felt his stomach become slightly upset at that. It wasn't that he didn't love Rahne, or the potential child, but the mental image of a newborn coming out of a woman's nether regions just made him feel queasy.  
  
"But what about the possibility that you'll turn into a bloodthirsty monster every full moon and endanger whatever lives may be within you?" Lance asked, inwardly impressed he asked a question that made him sound rather intelligent.  
  
Rahne glowered at her lover. "I'm a werewolf, Lance, not a murderous animal."  
  
"Oh. Sorry. Just checking."  
  
Rahne waved a hand dismissively. "It's all right. Ye were just worried."  
  
"You think the others will be fine with you being a werewolf?"  
  
Rahne shrugged. "A donna know. A hope they'll at least allow me to stay at the Institute. If'n they donna, A'll have to find someplace else to live." Her eyes began watering. "But A like it at the Institute, ye know? It's one of the only places that's ever accepted me without question."  
  
"Well, I'd be partly lying if I said the Brotherhood would take you without question, but Mystique would probably get all on your case about where your loyalties lie. It's not pretty with her in charge."  
  
"Then how do ye stand it?"  
  
Lance shrugged. "I don't know, we just do. Mystique really grills us, but we survive from one day to the next. I suppose we're just lucky or something."  
  
"A doubt luck has anything to do with it."  
  
"Yeah, well, that's /your/ opinion."  
  
Rahne glanced at the radio. "Should we have some music?"  
  
"Considering what we're talking about, we'd either start shouting over it or turn it off."  
  
Rahne nodded. "But do ye think we'll even start to shout? A mean, after all we've been through, we love each other enough not to shout, right?"  
  
"I hope so," Lance said.  
  
"Well, we're here now," Rahne said, her voice going glum. She was getting nervous about facing her teammates again. Hopefully, they wouldn't ask any questions.  
  
"I should head back to the Brotherhood House," Lance told the Scots girl. "Mystique will probably roast me for disappearing with you."  
  
Rahne nodded. "Just donna let her kill ye."  
  
Lance grinned. "I won't."  
  
"Rahne, like, there you are!" a voice called, startling the redhead.  
  
Turning, Rahne caught a glimpse of Kitty Pryde racing up to her before the Northbrook girl caught her in a hug. After a moment, Kitty released her and looked Rahne over.  
  
"You seem all right," she said. "The others should be okay."  
  
"What do ye mean?"  
  
"Well, the other X-Men, like, got all worried when you and Lance went to Scotland, but the Professor smoothed things over, so now, like, you should be able to calm everyone down."  
  
"What, are they still worried?"  
  
"Uh, well, sort of. They didn't really know what to make of you leaving, since everyone just thought that you, like, ran away."  
  
Rahne's eyes widened in surprise, but Kitty didn't seem to notice as she continued.  
  
"So, we all, like, got a little afraid for you until the Professor told everyone that you and Lance were just taking a surprise vacation in Scotland to see your family, and we all were relieved. A couple of the guys are still wondering what's up with you, but now that you're back, you should be able to help them see the picture."  
  
Rahne nodded, feeling relief flow through her. Now her only worries were telling the others about her lycanthropy, and also telling them about her possible impregnation. Then again, she also had to worry about letting the others know she had had sex with Lance. Rahne shuddered at the thought of what Kitty would do to her when she found out.  
  
"Like, come on," Kitty said. "Everyone's waiting to greet you!"  
  
Pushing her fears to the back of her mind where they belonged, Rahne followed Kitty into the Institute and into the common room. All the other mutants were there, and they all gave Rahne warm cries, several of them even clapping her on the shoulder or patting her on the back.  
  
"Yes, welcome back, Rahne," Professor Xavier smiled. "I trust you enjoyed your little escape?"  
  
'If only ye knew,' Rahne thought grimly. "Well, it was pretty good, except for the locals. They tend to be a wee bit weird."  
  
"Man, don't we all?" Evan asked, earning a few laughs.  
  
"Did anything interesting happen?" Jean asked.  
  
"We talked, but that's about it," Rahne answered.  
  
"I'm sure there will be time for fun later," Ororo said as she entered the room. "Until then, lunch is up."  
  
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Later, Rahne had finished eating dinner and was sitting in her room, staring at the moon. The door opened and Amara entered, closing it behind her. She came over to Rahne, taking a seat next to the Scots girl on the bed.  
  
"What are you thinking about?" Amara asked after a moment.  
  
"Nothing much," Rahne admitted. "A usually like to think of home, but after this last trip there, A donna think A'll be seeing it that often again."  
  
Amara frowned. "Why not?"  
  
Rahne sighed heavily. "A've been through a lot back in Scotland, but what Lance and A had to go through was the worst, by far."  
  
Amara stared at the redhead, wondering what she could possibly mean. Had something horrible happened when they were in Scotland, something that Rahne and Lance weren't talking about?  
  
"Rahne, is there something you need to get off your chest?" Amara asked. "If it's something important, go ahead and tell me; I'm your friend."  
  
Rahne shook her head. "A doubt ye'll understand."  
  
Amara laughed. "Hey, you're talking to a girl whose father is a tribal chieftain and who was perceived as a fire demon when my powers emerged."  
  
Rahne looked over at the other girl. "Really?"  
  
Amara nodded. "I had to pull out all the stops to convince everyone I wasn't a monster that had replaced or possessed the chieftain's daughter. It wasn't the best period of my life, I can tell you that."  
  
Rahne smiled gratefully. "Thanks."  
  
Amara waved this away. "Think nothing of it. But tell me one thing: What good came from your trip with Lance?"  
  
Rahne opened her mouth, ready to tell her roommate, but stopped. She closed her mouth, feeling her heart flutter and her cheeks burn. She didn't know what exactly was keeping her from talking, but words failed her nonetheless.  
  
"Did you and Lance get along or something?" Amara asked as she watched Rahne closely, a grin forming on her own lips.  
  
When Rahne didn't answer, Amara burst out laughing.  
  
"He kissed you, didn't he?"  
  
Forcing herself to answer, Rahne said, "Well, aye, he did."  
  
Managing to control herself, Amara asked, "What was it like?"  
  
For a couple of moments, Rahne fumbled for a proper response. "Good," was all she could say.  
  
Amara raised an eyebrow. "Good? That's it?"  
  
Rahne's eyes looked up towards the ceiling. "Oh, it was more than that."  
  
The dreamy look on her face told Amara the girl had done more than simply kissing. After swallowing a couple of time, the islander spoke.  
  
"You didn't sleep with him or anything, did you?" she asked. "Because if you did, I honestly don't know what the others will think. The Professor may be able to help, but everyone else might have more volatile opinions of you or something."  
  
Rahne shook her head. "It doesna matter. We love each other, and that's all that A care about."  
  
Amara was rather stunned that Rahne seemed completely unconcerned about possibly being kicked out of the X-Men and the Institute.  
  
Shortly afterwards, both girls went to sleep. While Amara dreamed about working in a lab where she was curing "Loser Syndrome," Rahne dreamt about something far more exotic.  
  
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AUTHOR: That, hopefully, will earn a few more reviews!  
  
READ N REVIEW! 


	12. Rahne's Little Litter

The Truth About Rahne  
  
By Blackheart Syaoran  
  
AUTHOR: Thanks for reviewing and sorry for the wait!  
  
***********************************************************************  
  
Chapter 12: Rahne's Little Litter  
  
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"Rahne, come on, wake up," Amara said, gently shaking her roommate. "You don't want to be late."  
  
Rahne grumbled, slowly blinking her eyes open and staring at her fellow X- Man. "A had that dream again."  
  
Amara raised her eyebrows. "That's got to be the fifth week you've had it. Must be a recurring thing or something like that."  
  
Rahne nodded absently as she carefully slid out of bed. "A donna feel so good."  
  
"Do you think you're sick?" Amara asked as she helped Rahne stand.  
  
"Maybe," the Scottish girl replied as she steadily staggered towards the bathroom. "A think A'm gonna throw up."  
  
No sooner had she finished speaking than she gave a tiny burp and clapped a hand to her mouth. She slipped free of her roommate's grip and lurched into the bathroom, dropping to her knees and opening her mouth over the toilet.  
  
"I think we need to have Mr. McCoy look at you," Amara said as she watched her friend hurl repeatedly.  
  
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After she had finally finished tossing her stomach's contents, Rahne put on her usual clothing and made her way to the Institute's lower levels. Amara came down with her, being naturally concerned for her friend and roommate.  
  
Rahne was also concerned, but for different reasons. She hadn't forgotten what she and Lance had done back in Scotland, and she dearly hoped it wasn't what it might be. Things would be much better if her sickness were just some stomach virus that she had caught.  
  
When the two girls arrived in the Infirmary, Hank told Rahne to lie down on the examination cot while he checked her out. Amara took a seat in a corner chair across from the bed. Hank came over, holding a syringe.  
  
"Now, in order to see just what could be ailing you, I'm afraid I'll need a fresh blood sample."  
  
Reluctantly, Rahne let him have a sample, cringing inwardly at the sickly feeling she got when the needle entered her and stayed there. She breathed a sigh of relief when he was done and had gone over to his workstation to analyze the sample.  
  
"What do you think it could be?" Amara asked.  
  
"The flu?" Rahne suggested, doing everything possible to maintain her above- suspicion status. "Me home doesna have this kind of medical technology."  
  
"True, but if you had caught the flu, you would be feeling really sick right now. The flu makes your nose all runny and it makes you feel all icky and groggy."  
  
Rahne just shrugged.  
  
"Whatever it is, let's hope no one else here has it," Amara continued. "Especially me, since I am your roommate."  
  
Rahne only nodded.  
  
Hank abruptly stopped working and turned around in his chair, smiling apologetically. "I'm sorry, ladies, but I almost forgot to tell you that this could take a little while. You should just go busy yourselves until the results come."  
  
"How long do you think that could be, though?" Amara asked.  
  
Hank shrugged. "At least a couple of hours."  
  
Following his advice, the two girls left the Infirmary and headed upstairs to the common room. Rahne decided to recline on one of the couches while Amara plopped into an armchair across from her.  
  
"You feel like you're going to throw up again?" the islander asked.  
  
Rahne shook her head. "Nay, A feel just fine. Just a little hungry is all."  
  
"That's, like, great!" Kitty said as she came over, carrying a tray of fresh muffins. "I just finished making these, and I, like, need to know if they're any good."  
  
"Well, A donna mean A was hungry for yuir muffins, Kitty," Rahne said. "A keep wanting to have some pickles and ice cream."  
  
Kitty looked crestfallen. "Oh. I guess I could ask the others, then..."  
  
"Excuse me," Ororo said, coming over to the trio of girls. "But I thought I heard someone say they were hungry for pickles and ice cream."  
  
Rahne nodded. "A did, Miss Munroe."  
  
Ororo regarded Rahne with a suspicious glint in her eye. After a moment, she spoke.  
  
"Are you feeling well, Rahne?"  
  
"She might be sick, but we're waiting for Mr. McCoy to figure out what it is," Amara answered.  
  
Ororo studied Rahne with a more focused gaze, and the redhead found herself uncomfortable. Couldn't the older woman just leave her alone?  
  
"Oh!" Kitty said suddenly, gaining everyone's attention. "Would you like to try my muffins, Storm?"  
  
Ororo's attention shifted to the muffins, and her expression was one of revulsion.  
  
"I do not think so, Kitty," she said. "Perhaps Scott or Kurt would. Maybe you should go find them?"  
  
"I guess so," Kitty said, looking disappointed as she went away.  
  
Ororo cast a final, dark look at Amara and Rahne before she herself left. As Rahne watched the woman depart, she felt a twinge of annoyance at the questions that had been asked.  
  
"What was all that about?" Amara asked. "Ororo looked like she wanted to throw you out the door or something."  
  
Rahne shrugged. "A expect she knows something we donna."  
  
After a brief silence, Amara said, "You want to play Frisbee or something?"  
  
"Nay, Mr. McCoy will just come and get us when we're only getting started."  
  
Amara sank deeper into her armchair. She looked rather put-out. "Then what should we do? It could take a while for Beast to get done, and we have nothing to occupy our time?"  
  
"Doesna Rogue have those horror films?" Rahne asked. "We could watch one of them."  
  
Amara perked up. "Yeah, we could! The only trouble is picking out the right film."  
  
"How about that Nightmare On Elm Street?" Rahne asked. "A heard that was really good."  
  
"Well, it is, but that's if you overlook the flaws. Every movie has flaws."  
  
"Aye, but it got good reviews."  
  
"Okay, then, Nightmare it is."  
  
With Amara leading the way, the two girls went upstairs to Rogue's room, knocking on the door.  
  
"Just a second!" came the Goth's muffled voice. The door opened, and Rogue stood there, eyeing her visitors. "What?"  
  
"Rahne and I were hoping you'd let us watch one of your horror movies," Amara answered. "We're waiting for something else, and we need to kill time."  
  
"I guess you can," Rogue said, opening the door all the way to allow the two to enter.  
  
Rahne and Amara quickly borrowed their desired movie and went back downstairs, popping it into the DVD player that the Professor had recently bought as a gift to the X-Men.  
  
They were halfway through the film when Professor Xavier telepathically contacted them, saying that Hank had informed him the tests were done. With growing knots of dread in their stomachs, the two females stopped the film and returned to the Infirmary. Hank was waiting with a couple of chairs set out.  
  
"Please, have a seat," he said, gesturing to the chairs. "What I tell you might be somewhat unnerving."  
  
Rahne and Amara did so before Hank continued.  
  
"Now, from my tests, I can safely say that there seems to be no sign of any normal infection, so you do not appear to be sick, Rahne."  
  
Rahne sighed, deeply relieved. "That's good news."  
  
Hank nodded. "However, I noticed for the second time that there does seem to be an unusual genetic structure."  
  
Amara blinked. "What do you mean, Beast?"  
  
"I'm saying that Rahne here has an extra chromosome, which even mutants shouldn't have, unless they are radically mutated. But even though this is all very interesting, what strikes me as the most amazing thing is that you appear to be a month into your gestation period."  
  
A long silence followed his words, and Rahne found herself wondering just what he meant. A few ideas came to mind, but she wanted to know what he was talking about, and therefore speculation was not needed very much.  
  
Hesitantly, Amara asked, "Uh, Beast, what do you mean by 'gestation period'?"  
  
"I mean, Amara, that young Rahne here is pregnant."  
  
Amara stared at the older mutant for a moment before looking at Rahne, her eyes wide as dinner plates. For her part, Rahne had turned red as a tomato, unable to speak a word. She had been expecting this as a possibility, but she hadn't wanted it to realize itself as reality.  
  
"Rahne?" Amara asked. "Is this true? I mean, you're only fifteen! How could you have a kid?"  
  
"I think we'd all like to know that," Hank said. "Professor Xavier will most definitely want to know about this, all will the rest of the people here. Once that womb begins to expand, there won't be any denying the obvious, Rahne."  
  
"A know," Rahne said, finally regaining her voice. "But A donna have the guts to face the others."  
  
Amara put an arm around Rahne's shoulders. "Don't worry, Rahne. I'll back you up. That's what friends are for."  
  
Rahne looked at the islander, her eyes watering. "Thank ye, Amara."  
  
"It's nothing."  
  
"Not for long, it won't be," Hank said. "Once the others find out, things could become very unstable. You'll have to tell them the truth."  
  
"Beast is right," Amara agreed. "You'll have to tell them who the father is and all that other stuff."  
  
Rahne nodded. "A know. It's just that A donna know if he'll react in a good way to this news. He was expecting it more than A was, but the truth can sometimes take ye by surprise."  
  
"I'll help him see things right," Amara promised. "Just tell me who he is and I'll go to work."  
  
"Are ye sure?"  
  
"Yep."  
  
Steeling herself, Rahne said, "It's Lance. We...we had sex while we were over in Scotland, and neither of us was wearing any protection. He said there was a chance I'd be pregnant, but I didna think it happened since it took a month for me to start feeling much of anything."  
  
"Oh," was all Amara could say after hearing this. Clearing her throat, she said, "Don't worry, Rahne. I'm sure Professor Xavier won't do anything harsh. It's not like he's going to send you back to Scotland just because you fell in love, right?"  
  
Rahne nodded, even though she felt rather miserable. After a moment, Amara stood up, looking down at Rahne.  
  
"I'm going to tell Lance if that's all right with you."  
  
Rahne nodded, hardly able to do anything else at the moment. When Amara had gone, Hank sank down next to Rahne and put a comforting hand on her back.  
  
"It's not as bad as it seems, you know. In fact, the others may take this lighter than they took Kitty dating Lance. I'm sure they wouldn't want to harm a defenseless and innocent child just because you like someone they don't."  
  
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Pietro forced himself to ignore whatever Fred and Todd were doing with an oversized hoagie in order to rush to the door uninterrupted. He opened it and found, to his surprise, Amara standing there.  
  
"Where's Lance?" she asked.  
  
"What do you care?" he asked in response.  
  
"I'm not playing games, Pietro, this is serious."  
  
Pietro waved a hand. "Since when has it ever mattered if you X-Geeks are playing games?"  
  
She surprised him by actually grabbing the front of his shirt, pulling him close to a flaming fist.  
  
"Where is Lance Alvers?" she demanded.  
  
"Upstairs," the speedster said. "Jeez, you didn't have to get so pushy!"  
  
The girl moved past him and up the stairs, finally locating Lance from the twanging of his guitar. He seemed stunned that she had come to the Brotherhood House.  
  
"What do you want?" he asked. "Don't tell me Kitty wants me to try her muffins again."  
  
"No, this is about your little love antics in Scotland with Rahne."  
  
Lance almost dropped the guitar. Gently putting it on his bed, he eyed the X-Man. "What about?"  
  
Amara rolled her eyes. "You mean you can't even guess why I'm here?"  
  
"You want someone to read your mind, go pray to your holy Professor," Lance said angrily.  
  
"Don't make fun of the Professor, you jerk!"  
  
"Then why don't you use your brain and tell me what you're doing here?" Lance demanded.  
  
Amara snarled, "I'm here because Rahne got knocked up from you screwing her back in Scotland."  
  
Lance stared at her, his body rigid and his jaw through the floor. After a few moments of fumbling stupidly for words, Lance managed to speak.  
  
"Knocked up? You mean pregnant?"  
  
"No, I mean she has a concussion," Amara answered sarcastically. "Of course I mean pregnant! She's carrying your kid, and you're here swimming in what will probably become denial!"  
  
"Hey, I'm the one who thought she'd get loaded!"  
  
"Well maybe you should have been packing some Trojans! Ever thought of that?"  
  
"Oh, I'm completely sure that Trojans are sold in the middle of the Scottish woods!"  
  
"Would ye please stop yuir yelling?" demanded a distinctly Scottish brogue.  
  
Amara and Lance turned to find Rahne standing in the doorway, watching them. She appeared fairly okay, but Amara could sense the redhead was inwardly feeling particularly emotional at the moment.  
  
Rahne stepped into the room, keeping her eyes on Lance. After a long moment of watching her lover, Rahne turned to Amara.  
  
"Could ye give us a few minutes?"  
  
"Sure," Amara replied, leaving and closing the door behind her. She headed onto the Brotherhood's front porch so that she wouldn't be able to hear the words the two would speak.  
  
Rahne sat on the bed, staring at the ruined and dirty carpet instead of Lance. When she spoke, it was slowly and with a tint of pain.  
  
"Ye know A'm a werewolf, Lance."  
  
"I know."  
  
"Do ye know what normal wolves do? They only take one mate, Lance. And because werewolves tend to embrace their animal side, it means A can only take one mate meself."  
  
"If that's what happens," Lance responded. "Rahne, I seriously do love you, even if you are, um, pregnant."  
  
The last word caused the girl to sink down into the mattress heavily.  
  
"Sorry if I did anything wrong with you," Lance told her.  
  
"It's not yuir fault," she said. "It's more me own fault. A'm the one who should've kept her heart closed. A came here to learn how to control everything, and to escape all the hatred A kept getting from the townsfolk. But when A arrived at Bayville, A was so scared of everything and everyone. Kitty was the first real friendly person A met, and then A heard about ye, so A wanted another friend.  
  
"A started liking ye, and things just kept coming together. A just wanted ye to be with me and be me friend, and then all of it came to a high point in Scotland. Ye can see what A mean, right?"  
  
Lance nodded. "Yeah, I can."  
  
"Lance, A donna know what to do. A donna want to get rid of me children, but A'm too young to be a mother. A couldna raise a child if A had to. We're young mutants learning to control our powers while fighting to survive, and everybody else gets caught in the middle. A donna want me children to be involved in that sort of thing."  
  
"I know what you mean. Then again, I'm sure just about every parent in the world feels that way. What do you want to do?"  
  
"Me?" Rahne asked. "Half of the decision is yuirs!"  
  
"I'm fine with whatever you think, really. You're a person with your own mind; you can do things on your own. It's not like I want to control you or something."  
  
Rahne nodded.  
  
"So, what do you think we should do?"  
  
Rahne sighed. "A donna know. A want to have a family one day, but not at this age. All A can come up with is an abortion, even though it'll kill me to throw away me children's lives."  
  
At this point, Rahne could hardly hold back the waterworks. Tears began streaking down her cheeks, and she feebly attempted to wipe them away. Lance sat down next to her and put an arm around her shoulder.  
  
"Rahne, look, nothing bad is going to happen. If you want to go through with your pregnancy and have kids, I'll gladly go along with the choice. If you think there's no chance you'll make a good mother at your age, I'll be okay with that too. I just want you to pick whichever choice you feel is right."  
  
Rahne nodded.  
  
"Do the rest of the X-Men know you're a werewolf?"  
  
Rahne shook her head. "A didna tell them."  
  
"Well, at least things can't get too bad."  
  
Rahne looked at him, puzzled.  
  
"We're already mutant freaks, how can being a werewolf make things worse?"  
  
"Oh," Rahne said, realizing what he meant. "A just hope A can live with meself."  
  
"What?"  
  
Rahne looked Lance right in the face, her face miserable-looking from her crying. "Lance, A cannae raise children like this! A'm not ready! A donna have the money or the home, or a stable relationship! A'm not even married to ye!"  
  
"So that means you're choosing the abortion?"  
  
Sniffling, Rahne nodded. "A have to. A donna want to, but A've got no choice. A cannae have a family at this age and in this state."  
  
"Well, don't worry, Rahne. Everything will work out in the end, just like in movies. Now, why don't you get a hold of yourself and head back to the Institute with me? It might be easier to tell everyone if we're together."  
  
Again, Rahne nodded, standing up and leaving with Lance.  
  
The End.  
  
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AUTHOR: People, I'll tell you right now not to ask for an epilogue or sequel, because I won't do one. Sorry, but that's my final decision.  
  
READ N REVIEW! 


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